Misunderstandings
by Taylorblue21
Summary: Hebe is tired of being caged up in Olympus. She changes her name to Bella and moves to Forks where she finds the man of her dreams. When Olympus is in trouble and she has to leave, will she ever see her bronze haired lover again?
1. Chapter 1

Everything had become more strained since _they _left. I barely talked to anyone, even my adoptive father.

Charlie and Renee took me in as their own a few years ago. They treated me as if I was a normal teenage girl when I was actually far from it.

I am Hebe, Goddess of Youth. I had become tired of always being the cup bearer for the Gods. Olympus was a beautiful place and I spent most of my time exploring its elegant structure. But as time wore on I eventually ran out of things to view, which made it very hard to be satisfied with the same scenery.

I yearned for freedom, to be able to explore another way of life besides my own. It took centuries to convince Zeus to let me be free, and he grew angrier each time I begged for my independence.

So I finally created a male counterpart to take my place. His name is Ganymede and he was absolutely perfect for my job.

Zeus wasn't too comfortable with change. It makes him uneasy and take a while for him to adjust to something that contradicts his usual every day schedule.

But after a few months he started to grow fond of Ganymede, and excepted him as the knew cup bearer. Although he was comfortable with him, he didn't by any standards want my male counterpart to take my place indefinitely.

"You have four years and then you must return. You will be put into a small town so that the chance of your cover being blown will decrease significantly. Blood will run through your veins instead of ichor during time away from Olympus. That way if your clumsy self happens to trip, no one will be wondering why your blood is gold. Now are you sure this is what you want?" Zeus asked hesitantly.

I nodded my consent. I bowed before him, even if I was also a Goddess this was my way of showing how thankful I truly am. I glanced around the room to make sure that there weren't any demigods, no need for anyone to get vaporized, and transported to my room.

My bags were packed and ready for me to leave. I picked up one of my suitcases and notice a piece of paper fall out and land on the floor.

I picked up the folded piece of paper and read the elegant handwriting within it.

_Hebe, _

_We tracked down a couple of demigods that were unable to have kids. They said they would be more than happy to take you in. _

_Their love is not very strong and they will most likely end in divorce. So do not grow too attached to your "mom", Renee. Your father's name is Charlie and you will be living with him in Forks, Washington. _

_Your new name will be Isabella Swan, Bella for short. _

_That's the basics that you will need to know to get by in this new world of yours. I wish you the best of luck and will miss you dearly._

_Aphrodite _

I looked over the letter every now and again during my stay in Forks. Aphrodite was one of my best friends and I hated being away from her for this long.

But it was worth it to be able to venture out and live an amazing place like this. Sure it was very green and had a constant rain cloud that hovered over the city, but it felt strangely like home.

Going from such a luxurious life to this was exactly the change I needed. If I was being honest with myself, I'd take Forks over Olympusany day.

Not just because of a certain bronze haired boy and his family, although they were certainly a large part of it, I also just yearned for a normal life.

One that didn't have angry Gods storming around almost daily. Sure this town had drama, but nothing that was hazardous to your health.

Or catering hand and foot to all of the Gods in Olympus. I cleaned and cooked in this home and that's all that I had to worry about.

There are also advantages to living in Olympus, don't get me wrong I loved the beautiful palace on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building.

But the pros and cons of both living situations don't matter anymore. _He_ was gone and he took everything in me with him. Happiness, Normalcy, the joy of adventure, everything that drove me to leave Olympus, gone.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I dropped the plate I was drying. I winced as the plate shattered against the linoleum.

I bent down with my towel and started picking the broken shards off the floor and into the towel. One of the pieces pierced through the skin of my finger and I angrily jerked the shard out of index finger.

I studied the wound to see whether or not it would need a band aid, but the wound had already healed. Leaving a single drop of gold in its place.

"No, it can't be." I whispered.

"I'm sorry, Hebe." Hermes stated. I whirled around in shock and found him standing in the middle of the kitchen. His eyes held sympathy in them that I chose to ignore.

"Why has my blood turned to ichor? It's only been a year. The deal was four years not one, Hermes." I stated through gritted teeth. How dare the Gods turn against their word?

"The Gods have been stressing out more than usual, causing them to age more quickly. Ganymede has been trying to do all of your assignments, but he needs help. Aphrodite came very close to vaporizing him when she found one gray strand of hair. Olympus needs you, Hebe." Hermes explained.

"What has them so stressed out?" I questioned. If it wasn't anything too serious than I could help Ganymede get everything under control and then finish up my stay in Forks.

"There is a war evolving between the Gods and the Giants. Olympus has been completely closed off. None of the Gods are allowed to talk to their children, which is stressing them out even more." Hermes finished.

I gave out an angry huff. This had never happened before, not even during the war with the Titans. I had a feeling that this wasn't going to be a short trip back home.

"Fine. You can tell Zeus I will be back tomorrow. I have some things I have to sort out before I leave. Thank you, Hermes."

He gave me a wary glance, but I assured him that I was going to be fine. He shot me another sympathetic glance before Hermes transported back to Olympus.

I cleaned up the remains of the plate and threw them in the trash can. I looked out the window to see what the weather was like.

It wasn't raining, but the dark clouds hovering over the town showed that at any time it would be. I grabbed a light jacket and wrote Charlie a quick note before heading out the door.

I hesitantly opened the door to my truck, debating whether or not I really wanted to do this. Determination took over any emotion I had before and I hopped into the bulbous cab.

**I've been thinking of doing this story for a while, and I'm glad that I finally decided to go through with it. Where is Bella/Hebe going? Reviewers get a sneak peek into the next chapter :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Bella's POV: **

I had decided that a last look at the Cullen mansion was acceptable. My chances of returning in the near future were slim. I needed a glimpse to carry me through for my stay in Mt. Olympus.

I suppose it would have been easier to just transport myself there, but I always have to do things the hard way. Or so I've been told. Besides, what could seem like an empty area could have something lurking in it's shadows. I didn't want to take the chance of vaporizing anyone.

I silently cursed my decision as the winding curves and confusing four ways stood in my way. My instinct told me which turns to take, and I prayed to the Gods that my gut wouldn't fail me now.

The familiar trees that sprouted beside the road gave me a sense of relief. The way the trees would arch towards each other, forming some sort of cave as you drove through them at night, had always fascinated me.

No matter how fast you drive, the shadows always seem to back away before you can reach them. Now, I could go on and on about the environment, but there are more things to be concerned about than nature.

Some part of me hoped that the Cullens had returned, but the rest of me screamed for that small part to shut up.

I held my breath as I pulled in front of the familiar white mansion. I sighed in relief when I found that it was still deserted.

I hesitantly grabbed my camera and hugged it close to my chest.

_You can do this, Hebe. No one's here._

I felt a whole new emotion flow through my body; not sadness, or even grief. Determination.

I quickened my pace towards the door and was highly impressed with myself when I didn't fall. Any klutz out there would agree that making it from one place to another without a face plant is a huge accomplishment.

Once I got to the door my resolve started to crumble. What if they had an alarm set up that would go off if someone tried to break in? This place looks very expensive, I wouldn't be surprised if there was some hidden alarm that the Cullens forgot to share with me.

After thinking it through I realized how silly I was being. They are vampires, they'd hear any visitors before they arrived. Besides, they aren't here and no one lives around here so they wouldn't be able to hear any alarm.

I twisted the doorknob and was shocked to see that it was open. I looked around the inside and was somewhat relieved to see that they had left all of their belongings behind. If they hadn't I wouldn't of had the opportunity to take pictures.

The piano Jasper had crashed into still lay in pieces on the floor. I almost passed on taking a picture of it, since that night was one of the worst days of my life. But I needed to remember everything, regardless of whether it was good or bad.

After a minute of inner turmoil, I snapped a shot of the broken piano. I moved on quickly and entered the kitchen.

I smiled at the memory of all the times Esme cooked for me. She was always so compassionate and caring; learning how to cook just so I would feel at home.

My eyes teared up, making it hard for me to focus on taking a picture of the kitchen. I fanned my eyes until they were dry enough for me to see through the lens. I backed up a little until I had the whole kitchen in the frame of the picture and then proceeded to take the photo.

There was one more room that I needed to get a picture of, and it was going to be the most painful. Edward's bedroom.

Even thinking of it made me visibly wince. I could feel the numbness I had built for myself start to disintegrate as I climbed the staircase.

I slowed my steps on the stairs, hoping to have enough mental preparation that the hole in my chest would remain stitched up. The steps finally ended and I was faced with the door to his room.

It was partially open, begging me to open it the rest of the way. As I approached it I started to think about what would be in there. Couch, CDs, glass window; but none of those were what caught my attention when I entered the room.

In the middle of _his _bedroom was a faint iris message of Zeus.

"Oh Gods. You scared me," I wheezed. The poor CDs had been the ones who had suffered from my shock.

"Can't it wait till tomorrow? I'll be back by then," I grumbled as I picked up the CDs that were knocked over. Thankfully, none of the cases were cracked or scratched.

"I sent Hermes to get you today, Hebe. Not tomorrow, not next week, today!" Zeus yelled. Something in me snapped at hearing him being so demanding. I have served them hand and foot for centuries and now they expect me to just drop everything during my time off? This is ludicrous!

"You have Ganymede. You'll be fine for one more day without me," I said, sternly. I was shocked at how firm I could be with someone who was above me, and I knew I would pay for it.

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't just say that. But don't expect such kindness the next time you speak out. I suggest you wrap things up in Forks and be back by nightfall. Do you understand, Hebe?" Zeus demanded.

"Yes, master. I apologize for being disrespectful." Zeus grunted in reply and wiped away the mist. Leaving me alone in _his_ room with my camera..or so I thought.

"Who was that? And why is he calling you 'Hebe'?" a strangely familiar voice questioned.

I prayed to every God there was for luck to be on my side and that it wasn't who I thought it was. I turned around slowly and found myself face-to-face with the man who ruined my life. Edward Cullen.

**Uh oh. How will things go over with her and Edward? Thank you so much for the reviews! Reviewers get sneak peeks into the next chapter :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Bella's POV:**

"What are you doing here?" I distracted. My father could have been a little more careful; vampires weren't new to the supernatural, but this was out of their league.

"I'll answer your question when you answer mine." he countered. His eyes were black as charcoal and his face looked lifeless.

"It's none of your concern. I'm sorry that I intruded in your home, but I need to leave." I whispered. Edward just stared into my eyes, the gaze was so intense that even I couldn't move; no matter how much I desperately needed to. My brain finally connected with my body and I averted my gaze away from his, moving swiftly past his frozen form.

"Bella, please. Just tell me what's going on," Edward pleaded while grasping onto my arm. I felt the familiar tingle of electricity shoot through my veins at his touch. I jerked my arm away from his and found hurt etched into his features; at first I felt guilty, but then the guilt turned to anger.

"What do you care anyways? You don't love me anymore," I whispered, harshly. The mask that he had worn earlier to conceal his true emotions, had dissolved. I could see all the emotions flicker across his face; hurt, regret, love, sadness, and guilt.

"Bella, please. You have to understand that my only intentions were to protect you, not hurt you." he explained. _Protect _me? I'm a Goddess, I'm pretty sure that I can survive on my own.

"If you wanted to protect me then why didn't you stay? I love you, Edward. I trusted you so completely, and then you just turned my world upside down," Tears were starting to stream down my face as I remembered the pain of him leaving me, and surviving without him.

He took a deep breath, which he didn't need, and was about to launch into another excuse, but stopped. Edward looked at me strangely, confusion crossing his perfect features.

"I can smell your scent..but your blood. It's not as enticing as it used to be; what's going on, Bella?" Edward demanded. Uh oh. I forgot that the smell of ichor and human blood were completely different, I should have escaped while I had the chance.

"There is nothing that's going on. Now I really need to leave." I exclaimed as I pushed towards the stairs. My palms became sweaty and it felt like my stomach was having a war inside of it. I'm already past Edward, so why am I so nervous?

I brushed it off as just being paranoid and jogged towards the door. It was open partly from where Edward must have entered it; I opened it the rest of the way and quickly shut the door behind me. Forming a boundary between me and my ex-lover.

I turned towards my car and realized that I wasn't the only person out here. The rest of the Cullens were surrounded around Alice. Her eyes lost it's focus and looked like they were somewhere far away, like when she was having a vision.

Jasper grabbed a piece of paper out of his car and placed it on the hood of the car. He placed a pencil in Alice's right hand and instructed her to draw what she was seeing; just like he did when they hid me from James at the hotel.

Their vehicles were parked side-by-side behind my truck, purposefully keeping me from escaping the mansion. I almost groaned in frustration, but decided not to draw any attention towards myself.

Alice's hand moved skillfully across the paper as her eyes examined the detail in the far away place. I needed to know what her vision was, because if my identity was blown..then I would be in a world of trouble.

I walked slowly and quietly towards them, trying my hardest to keep their attention away from me. As I reached their vehicle, I was impressed to see that no one's eyes had strayed from the paper. Huh, must be something really interesting to have their senses dulled.

I glanced at the drawing and gasped in disbelief. It was Mt. Olympus. Their heads jerked towards me. I didn't have time to dwell on the fact that I had been caught staring, because the clouds were growing into an extremely dark color.

"Oh no. This can't be happening. I was so careful." I muttered to myself as I stepped away from them. The clouds clashed together causing a big boom of thunder to erupt. A bolt of lightning shot in front of me, sending me flying backwards to the damp grass.

A silhouette started to creep towards me and I immediately crawled back away from it. I could still see the Cullens in my peripheral vision, they hadn't moved an inch since they found me spying on them. I guess they were too shocked to really understand what was happening.

"Relax, Hebe. It's just me." Hermes assured. I stopped crawling backwards and studied him. A sigh of relief escaped my lips when I realized that it wasn't my father who apparently was outraged. I thought Poseidon was the God who was known for his anger..well, they are brothers.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. He offered a hand and I graciously took it; when I was on my feet I started to brush off the dirt and grass that were on my jeans.

"Well your father is really angry right now. He's been keeping an eye on you since the iris message and sent me immediately when he saw Alice's drawing. He wants you and the Cullens to meet him in the throne room." Hermes explained.

"Hermes, you don't understand. They aren't half-bloods, they can't get into Olympus. There's a barrier, remember?"

"Yes, indeed I do. What we didn't know was that they were half-bloods in their previous lifetime. They must have lived in very secluded areas to have been safe from monsters. So even if they don't have blood running through their veins, doesn't mean they aren't still demigods." Hermes explained. Oh my Gods, the vampires are also demigods?

"How are they going to get there? They aren't full Gods, they will get vaporized if we show our true form." I panicked. Why can't things just be simple for once?

"They latch onto us and close their eyes, then they'll be safe." he said, simply. I felt like a small child who was unable to comprehend such obvious things.

"Um..guys?" I called. The snapped their heads back to me, confusion still the main emotion on their features. I realized that Edward must have joined them while I was talking to Hermes; well, at least that means that I don't have to hunt him down.

"I'm going to ask you to do something really strange, but your going to have to trust me." They looked at me warily, which made me nervous that they wouldn't comply to it.

"What's going on, Bella?" Emmett asked, clearly exasperated. He never was the one to have patience, though I always thought it was funny. My lips twitched a little as I fought back a smile that was threatening to break through.

"All of your questions will be answered, shortly. I just need you to do a couple of things first, okay?" I asked. I wanted to make sure they were all on board with my plan; each one nodded their head.

"Alright. Now take one of your hands and put it on my arm, or shoulder, whatever you feel comfortable with." I began. Wary glances passed from face-to-face, but they just shrugged it off and complied with my order.

"Okay. Now close your eyes, no peeking. I'm serious, Emmett." I said looking pointedly at him. He winked at me before he shut his eyes tightly. Following Emmett's example, the rest of them closed their eyes.

I put all of my concentration onto the throne room of Olympus; imagining the feel of it, the sight of it, everything that pertained to it.

When I opened my eyes we were in the destination I had visioned. After making sure that everyone was safe, I slumped against one of the pillars. I only have transported a couple of people at a time, so taking seven was quite exhausting.

"Oh. My. Gosh. Bella's a magical fairy!" Emmett yelled.

**Sorry for the long wait for an update! Hope it was worth it :) Okay, so know they are finally at Olympus. How will Zeus react to all of this? Please review! Reviewers get a sneak peek into the next chapter :)**


	4. Chapter 4

I couldn't help but chuckle at Emmett's absurd comment. He looked at me like I was crazy, backing up slowly with his hands in front of him.

"Please don't turn me into a frog. It's him your mad at." Emmett pointed at Edward. He sheepishly grinned at Edward as he cowered behind him. It was very amusing to see such a strong, burly man cower in fear of a small female.

"I wish I had a camera, because this would be a moment I will never forget. I'm not a fairy, so you can stop hiding." I chuckled. Emmett straightened up and stepped a few feet away from a seething Edward, but still looked worried.

"So, you're a magician?" he concluded.

"No,"

"Vampire?"

"I have blood in my system, Emmett" I stated exasperatedly. He was so stubborn, couldn't he just understand that he was never going to guess what I truly am?

"You're a freaky scientist that figured out how to transport us from one place to another. It makes perfect sense! I'm such a genius," he replied smugly. Rosalie had her hands balled in fists; I couldn't tell whether she was angry at me, or trying to restrain herself from hitting Emmett.

"No! Father, where are you?" I yelled. If I didn't stop him now then this would go on forever, and I didn't really feel like spending eternity battling his silly guesses.

"Right here. Is that what you put up the whole time you were gone?" Zeus questioned. He had aged significantly from the ongoing battle between us and the giants. Wrinkles clouded his face and his hair seemed brittle with white tints in them.

"It's nice to see you again, father." I bowed to him. I could feel the confusion radiating off of the Cullens, but they were just going to have to wait. Emmett was muttering something about all of us being big giants that were going to eat them, but I ignored him.

"The feeling is mutual, Hebe. N-" Zeus started but Edward quickly interrupted him.

"What is up with you people and calling her 'Hebe'? Her name is Bella," he exclaimed. I felt terrified for him, you don't upset a God unless you want to be vaporized. Anger flashed in my fathers eyes but it vanished as quickly as it came, and he seemed to stiffen a bit.

"Please, allow me to explain. How much do you all know about Greek Gods and Goddesses?" Zeus started off. He was never a man to dance around the subject, but this was a lot to soak in at one time. I was grateful to him for being so understanding, but I had a feeling that it had more do with my presence than his respect for them.

"I studied them for a while. They are just a myth that was produced from an old blind man named, Homer. The imagination he had is fascinating," Carlisle trailed off. He must have been reliving the time that he researched them.

"Sorry to burst your bubble but they aren't a myth." Zeus grumbled. It always aggravated him that humans were so oblivious to the facts. I can't say that I blame him, I mean science is cool and all but it's very insulting that they think everything revolves around it.

"Goddess," Emmett snapped his fingers in an _of-course-how-did-I-not-guess-that_ way. Edward looked at him with disbelief written across his features.

"That must have been my vision. All of us here in this place," Alice concluded. She looked relieved to have finally figured it out, the wrinkles in her forehead disappearing as her features relaxed.

"And I will make sure to have a talk with Apollo about that," Zeus mumbled. Apollo was God of prophecies, so obviously he must have had some sort of hand in this.

"So if these 'Gods' really do exist, then how come we haven't encountered them in our lifetime?" Edward asked. I could tell that it was going to take some pretty good convincing to make him believe that we weren't a myth. His jaw was set in a stubborn manner, for anyone else it would be passed off as arrogance but that wasn't the way he was. No matter how hurt I was from him leaving me, I knew that he was always the perfect gentleman. Every once in a while I could feel his eyes dart to me, never lingering though, and it made my heart swell with each glance.

"You most likely have crossed paths with them at some time in your life. They venture down to the human world a lot, but keep their appearances hidden so that we don't blow our cover." Zeus explained. I studied Edward's face closely, at first he looked like he was just trying to process the words. His face turned into one of confusion and realization mixed into one, both equally ruling over his features.

"You said 'we'. What did you mean by that?" Jasper asked before Edward could. The different emotions buzzing around the room were probably irritating him and he looked like he just wanted everyone to settle on one. I looked expectantly at my father to answer his question, I knew that eventually we were going to have to tell them what we really are..but I didn't think that it would come this soon. He looked at me to make sure I was okay with giving away our secret, and I gave him a slight nod. The vampires had focus only on Zeus so none of them caught onto our silent conversation.

"I mean that it is us. We are Gods and Goddesses." he said like it was obvious. The Cullens glanced nervously at one another. Rosalie was glaring at me since she thought I had put her family in danger, yet again. Alice was surprised but stared at me in awe, which was very uncomfortable since I am not an important Goddess by any means. Carlisle and Edward looked like they were trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together, even though Zeus had just told them the secret. Esme was waiting patiently for Carlisle to come up with a logical explanation, this was just a little too far fetched in the supernatural for her. Emmett was the calmest, he just stood there looking not the least bit surprised.

"Why are you guys so worried about this? It's just a dream, we'll wake up soon." Emmett said each word as slow as possible, making it seem that he was talking to a group of toddlers.

"Emmett, vampires don't sleep you idiot." Rosalie all but yelled. Realization dawned on Emmett and he dropped down to his knees, hands clasped together, begging for us not to kill him.

"So Bella is a Goddess?" Edward asked. He still didn't look convinced and I knew it was going to take a demonstration for him to finally comprehend the truth.

"Hebe," Zeus corrected, "Yes, she is. Goddess of Youth." Edward looked warily at me, still not believing that the world he had known for over a century was not what it seems. It surprised me that they were having such a hard time accepting this; by now I thought they would have embraced the saying 'expect the unexpected'.

"She said that you were her father..so your Zeus? King of the Gods?" Carlisle asked.

"Exactly." I couldn't imagine what was going on in their heads. Not only did they have to adapt to the fact that there are Gods out their ruling over their world, but that I was one of them. To them I was this clumsy little human that had interrupted their existence by falling in love with Edward, but now I'm this ancient Goddess that they had believed was unrealistic. It's a lot to process in a short amount of time, and I was starting to become very irritated that Zeus let the wrong word slip.

"I came here to help with my responsibilities. Whatever business you have with them you can continue on without me. If you all stay I hope that you enjoy your time in Olympus." I said quickly. To a human it would have been a blur of words, but their hearing was enhanced and they heard every word. I rushed passed them to tell Ganymede of my return, but was stopped when a hand clasped my wrist.

"Bella, please. I need to talk to you, it's important" Edward pleaded. I could feel my resolve weakening, I concentrated on the memories of how he left me and felt anger boil inside of me. I yanked my arm from his and glared into his golden eyes.

"I have nothing to say to you," His face fell and I didn't need Jasper's gift to tell that he was hurt by my words. Even though he no longer cared for me, his pain would always be my pain as well. I turned away from him and continued onto the door, tears stung my eyes and made my vision blurry.

"Snap, crackle, and pop" Emmett chuckled, which was followed by a smack on the back of his head.

**Oh, Emmett :) Sorry for the long update! School is back in and it's cutting into my writing time :( But anyways, the secret is finally out. What does Zeus have in store for these vampires? Please review! Reviewers get sneak peeks into the next chapter :) **


	5. Chapter 5

**Bella's POV:**

My head turned from side to side, scanning the throne room before sneaking inside. It has been a week since the Cullens arrived here and they decided to stay in Olympus. Unfortunately that meant I had to be more careful about where I was going, even though I knew Alice could probably predict it.

I glanced around the thrones and settled on the empty one in the middle, my father's. A huff of annoyance escaped my lips when I realized that he wasn't here for his dose of youth like he promised. I looked into the cup, almost feeling sympathy for it since the drink was going to waste.

Scanning the room once more, I finally just gave up and turned to leave. Instead of having the lovely exit in my vision, there was Edward. The one who I have been trying in vain to ignore for seven days. His sudden appearance took me by surprise and the cup fell from my hands and scattered across the floor.

Edward was beside me in a flash, already having most of the broken shards in his palm before I could even reach one. Once the mess was cleaned up I grumbled a "thank you" and took the glass from his hand to throw it away.

I wandered over to the trash can lying in the corner of the room. I chuckled to myself as the memories of how that trash can was put here flooded my mind.

_Flashback:_

"_Zeus! I'm tired of Apollo throwing all of his lame poems in my study." Athena yelled. She had a room filled with books and notes that she kept organized by using filing cabinets. Apollo would go in the study and throw the poems, that were not satisfactory to him, in one of the cabinets. It used to only happen every once in a while, but now it was becoming more rapid. _

"_I've already talked to him about it, what more would you like me to do?" Zeus asked in the same tone. He didn't see why it was such a big deal and would doze off sometimes when she was complaining to him about it._

"_Well not only do I keep notes about books in the cabinets, I make notes about the war as well. Would you like for our offensive attack to be 'Zeus is stinky, he smells like a pinky, his wife is stingy, and his gas lingys throughout Mt. Olympus'. Then he continues on to wander if 'lingys' is actually a word." Athena smirked. Apollo was smart enough to make sure that his insulting poems didn't include her since she would be the one seeing them. Sadly, he wasn't smart enough to think that she would repeat them. _

"_How about we just invest in a trash can?" I suggested before Zeus could track down Apollo and vaporize him. Their heads snapped towards me and a look of confusion crossed their features._

"_Oh, come on. You really didn't think of this sooner?" I asked. Surely they were just messing with me, or they were trying for a more creative idea. _

"_Why didn't I think of that?" Athena mumbled. I looked at her incredulously; I guess not having to clean up after yourself makes a person very ignorant when it comes to common household cleaning devices. _

I smiled to myself and chucked the remains in the trash. I turned around to find that Edward had not left like I had hoped.

"Thanks for the help, but I have to get going."

"I need to talk to you," he begged. _Of course, _I thought bitterly. Is it too much to ask for just one stress-free trip to Olympus? I guess so.

"Alright." I gestured for him to go ahead. A new emotion danced across his eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it had came.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I thought-no I _assumed_ that my family and I were too dangerous. I told you all of those horrible things so that you would let me go, and live a happy human life. I didn't-"

"You don't have to explain, Edward. I get it." He looked relieved at my statement which was like a pang in my chest.

"You've moved on, I understand. There's no need to stand around and pretend like you care. The only reason you and your family are here is for closure, now you have it. So you can go now, there's nothing holding you here." The hole in my chest was starting to make itself known. It was like having the a wound stitched up, just to have it ripped open repeatedly. These past few months I had finally discovered how to hide my true emotions. Without even realizing it, Edward was slowly peeling away the mask I had created.

"You're wrong. The only thing that keeps me here, that keeps me _alive_, is you." he said with so much love that I almost believed him. Almost.

"Please don't do this." I whispered. I could feel myself begin to break down and I was terrified of what may happen. My eyes glazed over as I started to remember the events of what happened so many years ago.

_My father and I had just gotten into another argument. He just couldn't see why I wanted to live a normal life, even if it was just for a few years. Zeus had said some pretty nasty things to me that had me trembling and seeing red. _

_Aphrodite had been there to comfort me as I ranted about all of the things he said to me. _

"_He is so cruel! 'How can you be so selfish as to want to leave this amazing palace? Would you like to end up like Hephaestus and be thrown down the mountain?'" I imitated in his deep voice. I didn't do a very good job of it, but it helped a little. _

"_Hebe, honey, you have got to calm down." Aphrodite said, gently. _

"_Calm down? Are you serious? You don't understand, none of you do. You've gotten the opportunity to explore the world, I haven't!" I yelled. Aphrodite winced a little, and I instantly felt remorseful. _

"_I'm sorry. It just makes me angry and I'm taking it out on you. Which is wrong-" _

"_It's fine, I completely understand," she smiled, "I have an idea." She went on to tell me how she had been experimenting with different spells. She figured that since she was the Goddess of Love she should know some 'love spells'. Aphrodite's plan was to make me love someone when all I wanted to do was rip their head off. In my emotional state I thought that it was a brilliant idea and quickly complied. _

Needless to say the experiment hadn't gone according to plan and we didn't know what would happen if something like that were to actually happen. I hadn't really thought about the spell until I met Jasper, since he was able to manipulate emotions and all it sparked that memory. But I tossed it aside since I had foolishly believed that I would become one of them and that Jasper would be able to stop the spell from taking place.

Now it was just Edward and I, and the only one who could control my emotions was me. Sadly, I was not doing a very good job of it.

When I glanced up I noticed that he was now much closer to me than before. His facial expression looked as if he was worried, but I knew better. My hands started to tremble and I quickly stepped away from him. He was about to follow me but I held my hand up in a don't-come-any-closer kind of way.

"Please, just leave. You don't love me anymore and it would just be better-"

"I do love you, Bella." I looked at him in shock, but it quickly wore off and was replaced with anger. How dare he say that after all he put me through!

That's when everything started to go by in slow motion. It was as if I was watching a movie where they slowed down the climax for special effects, only this was reality.

I looked over at Edward and his facial expression showed one of pain. Not the little paper cut that stings for a while. No, this was pain that had been kept hidden for so long that it had begun to manifest until he could no longer hide it.

I started to make my way back towards him, to comfort him, but suddenly I was airborne. It felt like there was something moving inside of me; like every muscle in my body was shifting and twisting. My lips parted and a black gas started to escape my body, slowly numbing all of my bones as it went. I studied this strange mist as it started to shape itself until finally it was completely gone from my system. I was able to catch it's silhouette before my body crashed back into the floor.

Voices blended in together and I could feel my consciousness begin to fade as black spots danced across my vision. An evil cackle sounded throughout the throne room before I finally passed out.

**Wow, this has to have been the longest it has taken me to update a story. School is sadly back in and it has really taken up most of my free time to write. I'm sorry for the terribly long wait! Please review! Reviewers get a sneak peek :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:**

**I am very sorry to inform you that I am putting this story on hold. There are some major family issues that are taking place that is preventing me from having a clear enough mind to update.**

**I know that it's not a good excuse, but it's the truth. I'm hoping to post another chapter around October 10th. Possibly before then, but I'm not sure. Thank you for baring with me, and I apologize for the inconvenience. **

**Taylorblue21**


	7. Chapter 7

Shouting..hushed whispers..shaking..I just wanted it all to end. The noises were making my head ache worse than usual. An involuntary groan escaped my lips and all noises ceased.

"Bella?" a velvety voice whispered. I wanted to say "Bella isn't here right now, leave a message after the beep", but my throat was too constricted to form words.

"Just give her a minute, Edward. She should be waking up any second now," someone reassured him. My curiosity got the best of me and I cracked open one eye, and then instantly shut it. The light from the ceiling was blinding and I made a mental note to tell my father to get new dimmer bulbs.

I slung my arm over my eyes and attempted to open them again. It was a lot easier with my arm shielding the light and I took the opportunity to study my surroundings. Edward was by my side along with Alice, while the other Cullens were in front of me. They looked as if they were protecting me from..something. What could possibly be threatening to a Goddess?

"Well, it's about time you woke up. I was afraid you would die and spoil my fun," a familiar voice yelled. I knew that voice from somewhere, it was a feminine voice that radiated evil. Before I could gather any ideas she stepped before me. Nemesis.

"Not you again." I grumbled. Her and my father had a brief affair long before I was conceived and she had been convinced that I was her daughter. She had confronted us about her theory before, but Zeus had banished her before Nemesis could do anything destructive.

"Now is that any way to speak to your mother? Well, I see you definitely got your anger from me." she smirked.

"Your not my-nevermind. I'm not having that argument again. What do you want now?" I growled. Edward moved his head back and forth between us, trying to see the connection. Confusion clouded all of their faces, and I wished that I had the patience to explain what was happening to them.

"Well, I went to visit you in Forks. I saw that _boy _dumping you and decided you needed some help." she explained. I nodded at her to continue, but she was too busy glaring at Edward to notice my impatience. I sprung to my feet with an annoyed huff and blocked him from her vision.

"What exactly did you do to 'help me'?" I asked through clenched teeth. Nemesis always spoke in riddles, leaving me with more questions than answers. Which, for someone like myself, was extremely frustrating.

"Oh, yes! Sorry, dear. You were so vulnerable it was quite easy for me to slip into your body without you even noticing. I watched you make so many careless mistakes. I knew that if I didn't take action, then you would let Edward back into your life. You deserve better than a bloodsucker," she spat distastefully.

"I don't know who the hell you are, but you're getting on my nerves. Just go back to wherever you came from," Emmett retorted. He stepped towards me and eyed down Nemesis, a flash of fear crossed her eyes but it quickly disappeared.

"And whose going to make me?"

"I am, duh" he snorted. I was going to intercede since I knew Nemesis could easily defeat Emmett, but she didn't look as though she were about to attack him. She looked..amused? I decided that I would only interfere if it looked like she was going to vaporize him. Why spoil everyone's fun if it's not necessary?

"I have a lot more experience than you do," she chuckled.

"I'm secretly a turtle ninja, there's no way you could catch me." he stated. His face was straight and his eyes showed that he was being sincere. I was about to start laughing hysterically when I caught a glance at her face. She was going to accept his challenge. I pushed Emmett to the side and gave him a warning look.

"Alright, that's enough. You've accomplished your purpose, now you can leave." I demanded. I was angry at myself for not being attentive enough to notice that she was controlling me. Nemesis was getting angrier by the minute, and her petite frame was trembling. Her black eyes had a red tint to them that became more noticeable when she was mad.

"How dare you speak to me like that you pathetic excuse for a daughter!" Nemesis yelled. Edward was in front of me in a flash, growling at my "mother" like he did when we were..never mind.

"It's a shame that you seem to always want to be with the good guys. Olympus will fall, and Gaea will rise. You can either die trying to save this _palace, _or you can help us tear this place down." she offered.

"You and I both know I will never turn into scum like yourself. Gaea will _not_ rise. If I shall die in battle at least I will die an honorable death." Edward tensed in front of me. His head turned towards me and he gave me a pleading look. I could see the hurt in his eyes at the idea of me dying and he could see the determination in mine. We were locked in a silent conversation, but Nemesis quickly broke it up.

"Alright, my offer still stands. If you change your mind, just iris message me. Oh, and if anyone of you vampires would like to help Gaea's army, feel free to do the same. Vampires could really do some damage against demigods," she cackled. The Cullens growled in response and she took that as her cue to leave.

"Cover your eyes!" I yelled. Nemesis showed her true form and disappeared to hopefully "Far Awayville". I looked over to make sure she didn't vaporize anyone. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that they were all in one piece.

"What happened in here?" Zeus yelled. I followed his gaze to the cracks on the throne room floor. Uh oh.

"Nemesis, that's what happened." I spat.

"What? How many times must that woman be told that you are Hera's daughter?" Zeus wondered aloud. I was about to go into details about her horrible visit, when an idea formed in my head.

"She did have a good point though. She said that using vampires would be very helpful in battle. She of course wanted them on her side, but what if they were on our side?" I proposed.

**Hmm..not such a bad idea Hebe/Bella. I just wanted to apologize again for taking so long to ****update. On top of family matters, I am now sick with who knows what. Awesome, right? It does have one good side effect though. More free time to write :) Thank you so much for the amazing reviews. They really made me feel a whole lot better, and I was determined to make sure I didn't disappoint y'all. I hope this chapter was worth the wait! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

Zeus smirked and quirked an eyebrow. "Vampires? I studied them for quite some time. Interesting creatures I must admit," he mused.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Alice pleaded with her hands thrown up in defeat. Jasper was beside her with his arms wrapped securely around her waist. He was whispering comforting words in her ear and sending out calming waves.

"As you might have heard from Nemesis," I started and all eyes turned to me. I took in a deep breath and looked everyone in the eye to make sure I had their attention.

"There is a war going on between the gods and Gaea. We are running out of warriors. Creatures are getting slaughtered and the gods are growing weaker. If we had a new source of ammunition in this battle it could take Gaea's army by surprise. And we all know the element of surprise is a major advantage," I smiled. The room was silent as they took in my speech. I waited for someone to speak up, but they all seemed lost in thought. I turned toward my father and he gave me a slight nod.

"I'm going to leave by nightfall to gather any alliance I can find." I stated. Zeus looked like he was ready to argue, but I shot him an icy glare. This was my plan and no one was going to interfere.

"I'll fight with the gods," a velvet voice whispered. Chills went up my spine and my ability to have some sort of balance diminished. I slowly turned towards Edward and stared into his beautiful golden eyes. I could see the determination and confidence in his unwavering gaze, fear swelled in my stomach and I felt a need so strong and familiar it knocked me breathless. It was the aching need to protect him from harms way.

"You can't, Edward. I won't let you. None of you will have anything to do with this war!" I ordered. I looked at each of the Cullens to make sure they understood that my decision was final.

"Isn't that why you brought it up?" Carlisle mumbled.

"No! It was not my intention to involve you. I was excited to share my plan and I'm sorry that I made you feel like I was talking about you all," I explained.

"Then who were you talking about, Bella?" Emmett demanded. It was unnerving to see him so livid and serious. I was so used to the happy-go-lucky side of him that it surprised me to see him act this way.

"I was thinking of finding a few wandering nomads who wouldn't mind being an alliance to the gods. Not a family like you all! What happens if one of you is killed in battle? It would tear apart this family. You will never see the horrors of this war, and if I have to be killed to make sure you are safe then so be it!" I yelled. I was tired of the arguing, but I had to force them to understand that they couldn't help.

"Over my dead body. I will not stand by and let you go and get yourself killed while I stand by and wait for you to return," Edward snarled. I gasped at his words. After everything that he put me through he had the nerve to act like he cared? Unbelievable. He can't say things like that, he doesn't love me anymore. All those things he said before Nemesis showed up were lies.

"That isn't your choice, Edward. You don't get to just show up, take back what you said, and then pretend you care if I die." I shouted. All of the pent up rage and heartache I had from when he left me took precedence and I couldn't control it.

"Can I have a moment alone with Bella, please?" Edward requested. His family shot me sympathetic smiles before walking out of the room. I looked around and noticed Zeus was gone as well. He usually thrived on drama, but at this point he probably couldn't handle it.

I wrapped my arms around my torso and motioned for Edward to say what he needed to say. He took a deep breath and locked his eyes on mine.

"I know you're angry with me and you have every right to be. I can't leave this place without you knowing why I did what I did. Will you allow me the chance to explain?" he pleaded. He looked so vulnerable at that moment that I couldn't turn him down if I wanted to. I nodded for him to continue and he gave me a small, grateful smile.

"That night when Jasper tried to attack you was the worst night of my existence. It forced me to start second-guessing everything. I've always been concerned for your safety around myself because of how your blood allures me. But I gave in anyways and allowed myself to love you. I cared about you so much that I knew I would never harm you. Then your birthday party happened and I started questioning your safety once again. I had to refrain myself from harming you, which was bad enough, but now I had to worry about my own family harming you? It was too much," his voice cracked and he closed his eyes tightly. I yearned to comfort him, but I wanted to hear the rest of his side of the story. I knew he was being honest and I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't allow him to explain himself. After he took a few deep breaths he started again.

"It made me think about what would of happened if you married a human. You should be able to be with someone whose family won't attack you if you get a simple paper cut. Someone who doesn't thirst for your blood. I knew you had plenty of options. That vile Mike Newton would certainly appreciate having me out of the picture. Anyways, I contemplated all of these things and decided that your safety was more important than anything. I lied to you in the woods, Bella. Every word was a lie and I was surprised you didn't see right through me." A humorless chuckle left his lips. And he looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to give my opinion.

"You left me because you were worried about my safety?" I whispered. He nodded with a guilty look etched on his face.

"You idiot! I would have rather died than be separated from you!" I yelled. He flinched, but said nothing. Smart man.

"What about the others? Why did they leave?" I questioned. Edward looked down at the floor, but I still caught the regret that shone in his eyes before he could turn away from me.

"I convinced them that we all needed to leave you alone. They fought me tooth and nail on it, but I was relentless. I wasn't going to let anyone or anything get in the way of your well-being." He explained. My fists clenched by my sides, and I could feel the anger bubbling in the pit of my stomach. But I was also a little relieved by his answer. It meant that they didn't leave willingly, and that there was a chance that they still cared for me like I do for them.

"It never crossed your mind that maybe I didn't want you to leave? Did you ever consider my happiness, Edward?" He winced at my accusing tone, but at that moment I couldn't find it in me to consider his feelings.

"I figured over time you would forget about me and that you would find someone else who would love you and deserve you. I didn't deserve you, Bella. I was selfish and greedy. I wanted you all to myself and consequences be damned," he confessed. I could feel my will power begin to crumble. He looked so broken that it tore at my heart.

"I would have never found someone else. I still wouldn't. You have always been the one for me," I whispered. He looked me in the eyes and gave me my favorite smile. That adorable crooked smile that I can never get enough of. My resolve shattered and I darted across the room into his arms. He held me protectively as sobs shook my body. He whispered comforting words into my ear and rubbed my back in soothing circles.

I eventually pulled back and took in his beautiful face. I had missed everything about him and it was going to take me a while to take it all in. I wrapped my arms around his neck and whispered, "I love you." A bright smile took precedence on his lips. He repeated it back to me before his lips crashed against mine. My hands tangled in his bronze locks as our lips molded together. For once in a very long time, I was happy.

***Peeks out from under rock* I am so sorry about the terribly long time since the last update :( I fail, I know :( And I'm sorry to all of the reviewers who didn't get a preview, but I was so excited that I finished the chapter that I wanted to post it right away. Next chapter will definitely have a preview for reviewers. This has been the longest chapter of this story, so I hope that makes up for the waiting! :) Enjoy the romance while you can, because the drama is brewing. **


	9. Chapter 9

"Father, I need to leave." My bags were packed to the brim and I was fully armed for any unpleasant surprises. Zeus stood in front of me with a face devoid of emotion and his arms crossed definatly.

"As I tried to explain to you earlier, that won't be necessary," he insisted. I threw my hands up in frustration and glared at him.

"Fine. On with it. What do you have up your sleeve that's so life changing that I won't have to leave? Please, show me the error of my ways," I exclaimed, dramatically. Zeus glared at me in warning before explaining his plan.

"The Gods are tired of being bottled up in here since we- well _I_ commanded that Mt. Olympus be closed off. They need to get away, and they believe this task is nothing short of perfect to do just that. It will give them a way out and the task will be completed in no time," he explained. Well, I can't exactly argue with that. I've had the opportunity to explore while they were stuck here. But it still angers me that they are stealing my idea and getting the credit for it.

"Well I could still go. Think about it, the more people we have on this quest the faster it will get done. It'll cover more are-"

"You can't go. We need someone to watch over this place while we are gone. Unless you want Gaea to destroy it." Damn. I hate it when he's right.

"Fine. How long will you be gone?" I asked.

"Not long. And Aphrodite volunteered to stay here and help you watch over Mt. Olympus. She said that you two had some catching up to do." I groaned. The only catching up she wanted was the details of my love life. Oh well, at least I wasn't the only one missing out on the action.

"Great," I groaned. Zeus chuckled which earned him a death glare.

"Hey, don't get mad at me. I'm just the messenger."

"I thought that was Hermes' job," I grumbled. His boisterous laugh echoed throughout my room, causing me to give a small smile of my own. It's been to long since he's laughed. This war really was taking it's toll on everyone.

"Alright. Go get some allies. We are going to need as many as possible." Zeus smiled at me gratefully and disappeared with a _boom_. He always did have an appetite for dramatic exits. I sighed and unzipped my bags. I only packed a couple so it wouldn't be too much of a nuissance unpacking them. Just as I was about to toss some of my pants in my dresser, a loud rumbling ripped through the silence.

The door flew shut as a vine sprouted from the floor and locked it, effectively blocking my escape. I shrieked and jumped on the bed, which seemed to melt into the ground. The pegs holding it up evaporated and the bed slowly sank like an object in quick sand.

I looked around to see that the other objects in my room were disappearing in a similar fashion. I noticed that the dresser was sinking slower than the other furniture due to its height advantage. I jumped on it and clung onto the sleek wood for dear life.

Fists pounded on my door and shouting echoed through my eerily quiet room.

"Break down the door, Edward!"

"I can't! It won't budge an inch. I've tried multiple times," he shouted.

"I'll help you."

More banging sounded but the door remained unharmed. I looked down at the ground and found a swirling vortex taking over every part of the floor. Dirt, leaves, and stray branches spun in slow cirlces. Flashes of light erupter every few spins, as though the circle was running on energy of an earth source. I gasped as realization finally hit me. Gaea.

I looked down and saw that the top of the dresser was starting to drown in the earthy substance. I screamed and looked around for anything that I could use to pull me up. There was nothing.

I stood up and watched as my feet started to submerge into the shrinking hole. It continued to get smaller until it only surrounded me, leaving the rest of the room in it's original form. The door busted open as the dirt reached my waist. I pushed my hands against the floor, struggling to pull myself up. But it was like trying to convince a paralyzed human to move their legs. No matter how hard you kneel and beg, they can't accomplish the task.

"Bella!" Edward shouted. My head snapped up to see his frantic golden eyes taking in the chaotic scene before him. He flew towards me and grabbed one of my hands, tugging with as much force as he could muster.

"It's no use, Edward. She won't let me go," I cried. His eyebrows mashed together in confusion.

"Who's she?" he demanded.

"Gaea," I whispered. His face looked even paler as his features swirled into a mask of horror.

"No. Not you, Bella. Damn it! Not you!" he shouted as he kept tugging on my arms with more force than before. I lifted my other hand and gently touched his face. He looked in my eyes with such pain it rendered me breathless.

"I can't lose you again, Bella." he whispered.

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you, Bella." His beautiful face disappeared and I was submerged in darkness. Sinking in the dirt is the exact opposite of sinking in the ocean. In the ocean it gets warmer the further you go, whereas in the dirt it gets colder. Sand caresses your skin, but rocks jab at your body leaving cuts and bruises in their wake. Interesting fish float by in the ocean, but nasty insects crawl all over you body in the most repulsive ways. Polar opposites.

Eventually the grains become wider and wider until they no longer hug my frame. My feet stop touching dirt as air finally hits me. The gap becomes bigger until it thrusts my body through it, forcing me to hit the ground with a greater force. The impact causes all air to leave my body within seconds.

I cough frantically, trying to force air back in my lungs. My chest heaves as I try to force myself up. My body groans in protest as I finally reach my knees. Coughs still rack through my body, but they aren't as severe. I pry my eyes open and take in my dark surroundings. Fire dances across the room creating an gruesome glow towards the center of the room. My eyes travel up the bones and the dripping red substance to the person occupying the disturbing throne.

"Hades?"

"Yes, my niece. Wonderful to see you." he grinned.

"What do you want from me?"

"Oh, still the same I see. You still like to cut to the chase. That's fine, your wish is my command. I have summoned you here so that you will do me a favor."

"A favor? You made me go through all of that just to ask me for a _favor?_ Are you mad?" I yelled, my temper escalating the more pieces I put together.

"Hush, child. Once you perform this task you can go back to your little vampire."

"And if I don't?"

"Then be prepared to pay the consequences," he smirked.

**Oh, Hades. You certainly are a character. What does he want from her? Please R & R! **


	10. Chapter 10

"What is it exactly that you want, _uncle_?" I spat. Hades put his thumb to his lip, as if he had to consider what he wanted from me. I sighed, I already knew he had figured it out and was just testing me. Judging by the mischievous glint in his eyes, he knew I was on to him.

"You will bring me my child. Preferably in the next forty-eight hours," he responded. I gawked at him, expecting just about anything but a request to see his kid. Don't get me wrong, I believe that parents should see their children as much as possible, but Hades didn't fall under the category. He saw his kids rarely, if at all.

"You want me to find _Nico_? Are you crazy? He could be anywhere! Gaea could have him locked up somewhere with millions of soldiers to keep him there. It could take months, maybe even-"

"Quiet, young one. I wasn't talking about my son," he snapped. My mouth shut on its own accord as I mulled over his answer. Not Nico? Wasn't he the only one he had left that was living? Even if it weren't so, it would make more sense for him to want someone to find his missing son.

"Then who? W-why?" I stuttered. Hades rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. When he looked at me again I could see the growing impatience bubbling inside of him.

"I will find Nico when we destroy Gaea. It would be nearly impossible to rescue him before the war." he stopped talking, a far away look in his eyes. In that moment, it was one of the most vulnerable times I have ever seen him. He's always so steady and controlled, but that one little boy has the power to shake his foundation. He must really love his son. Hades cleared his throat, his features returning to its former indifference.

"I want my daughter, Hazel. She's at a Camp Jupiter in California as of now. Seven demigods are about to leave to fulfill the prophecy, and she is one of them. Which is why your deadline is cut so short. I need her before she leaves."

"Why can't you do it?" I complained. Hades yawned and waved his hand through the air. Upon the simple motion, a cloud of smoke burst through the ground, morphing into a mushroom shape. Slowly, the smoke evaporated and a hologram appeared. It was a 3D map of San Francisco.

Monsters walked passed what looked like a secret passage way inside of a hill. Disgusting beings ranging from enormous cyclops to sleek fire-breathing snakes. Their heads were held high, sniffing the area rapidly. Searching for something, I presume.

"This is where the entrance to the camp is," he pointed to the gate inside of the hill. "Gaea's army is passing through, and they can smell the demigods, but they can't trace where the scent ends. It's protected by the mist. The more demigods that leave the camp, or are killed in battle, the weaker the mist will be." He paused. He rose from his throne, pacing the perimeter of the small room.

"This is where you come in. The army is separated into packs, so if you kill off the tail end none of the others will notice. I'm sure they will catch on after a while, but by then you would be gone."

"Exactly how big is the pack that I have to single-handedly kill?" I stressed. Judging by the map, they as big as they seemed. But usually the front and the end were the largest of the army. Hades suddenly took interest in the details of his cape, and shifted uncomfortably under my gaze.

"Just a few..or thiry, but really who's counting?" he mumbled so quickly that I almost didn't hear what he said. Almost.

"Thirty? Oh no. I am not going to risk my life just so you can have a chat with your kid," I yelled in disbelief. How could he possibly be serious?

"I was afraid you'd say that. I guess I'll have to provide you with some sort of motivation, you could say" Hades grinned. In a flash, the hologram of the city vanished. In its place was a map of the Field of Punishment. The map was focused on a certain part of the terrifying consequences a man had to suffer through.

He was chained to a fence, the restraints wrapped expertly around his lean frame so that he couldn't move. A woman was being burned alive in front of him. She was only an illusion, but judging by his screams of anguish, he wasn't aware of it. The scene of her death changed multiple times; drowning, bleeding to death, being shot or stabbed, stroke, etc. Different forms, but the same result.

His breaths came out in sharp gasps, his body fighting the restraints relentlessly. I looked away, my eyes watering in sympathy for the poor man. I tried to focus on the fact that he must have done something really horrible to end up there, but in the end I still couldn't fight the pity I had for him.

"You don't recognize him?" Hades asked. My eyes snapped to his, disbelief clouding my mind. I stepped closer to the hologram, squinting down at the man. At first, I couldn't see anything familiar about him. His head hung low, depriving me of the opportunity to see his face.

I was about to bend down to get a better look, when his head snapped up. He looked up and bellowed a heartbreaking scream. A flash of bronze and green invaded my eyesight before he resumed his previous position. I tried to think of someone who had bronze hair and green eyes, but no one came to mind. I know Edward has bronze hair, but his eyes are golden..

"Oh my God. Why didn't I think of that? He had green eyes when he was a human so it would only make sense that he had green eyes in the afterlife," I whispered to myself. Hades nodded in approval, seemingly surprised that I had figured it out.

"What the hell is he doing there?" I demanded, my tone deadly. Hades rolled his eyes, seemingly unaffected by the force of my glare.

"He will stay there until you complete your quest. I told you all you needed was a little motivation," he smirked. My fingers curled into fists, my nails digging into the palm of my hands. It took every ounce of strength I possessed not to chop him up and throw the pieces in Tartarus.

"And if I don't?" I growled through gritted teeth.

"Then he stays," he answered swiftly. I sat down, all of the air escaping my lungs in a flash. Gone was the anger, I was left with only fear and adrenaline. If I don't make it, then Edward will suffer for eternity. I glanced at the hologram, silently promising Edward that I would get him out of there as fast as possible.

"Before I agree to anything, I want answers. Why do I have to do this? Why can't you?" Hades smirk turned into a grimace.

"I would've if it hadn't been for your _father_," he spat. "He ordered all of the gods and goddesses not to meddle in their childrens' lives, or at least until the war is over. Usually I wouldn't have to obey these obnoxious rules of his, but since I attend all of the meetings I have to as well. I don't know whether to be grateful or to kill that Percy Jackson kid for getting me a seat in the throne room."

I had heard many stories about that young hero. The obstacles he has overcome and the quests he has conquered was rather impressive. I had taken a liking to him, although I had never met him.

"It's not the boy's fault. He was only trying to help you," I chastised. Hades sighed and feigned indifference, but I knew he had great respect for the hero.

"Anyways, so all places where Gods' children have been blocked off. The only way we can communicate with our children is through dreams at this point, but I can't even do that. Hazel has grown restless and can't sleep for more than a few minutes." He stood up straighter and looked down at me, as if he was about to lecture a young child.

"Seeing as you have no more living children to meddle with, you have more freedom that any other God" he grinned.

"Why me? Why not a hero?" I demanded. This may be one of the most aggravating situations I've ever been in. Is it really that hard to sumon a demigod and assign them this task?

"You honestly believe a mere demigod could survive all of those monsters? Ha! That's setting someone up for failure indeed. Not that I oppose to that entertainment, but unfortunately we are running low on time. So it is you, my dear niece, who must go." I recoiled from his cruel sense of humor, repulsion weighing heavily on my composure.

How cruel would that be sending a hero to face all of those monsters? It would be like sending a duck with a knife inside of a village full of starving men. Suicide.

"Fine. I will do it," I conceded. Hades smiled in thanks and sent me off on the quest. No one knew what the perilous adventure would result in.

**Oh Bella, you always get stuck with the dirty work. Next chapter is her quest. Please R&R! **


	11. Chapter 11

Twilight eventually fell upon me after walking mile after strenuous mile. The sky bursts with a mixture of blue, red, and orange. It was my favorite time of the day. It was always at this time I felt at peace. In Mount Olympus this was when I got off work, and when I was in Forks it signaled the end of another blissful day with the man of my dreams.

I have been trying for hours to focus only on the quest. I have even gone so far as to hum quietly to myself, but even a simple song breaks through my "Edward Filter". Which leads me to finally give in and quit fighting the battle against my thoughts. Besides, the trip to Camp Jupiter leaves me with nothing but time to think.

Instead of dreaming of our future, like a normal person would, I wonder about what he's doing. Is he going out of his mind? Is he scared? Does he think I'm _dead_?

Hopefully, if he does believe that I'm dead, his grief will turn into anger and power his vengeance against Gaea. Anger in a war is like the steering wheel to a car. Without it, you don't have the fuel to go on or a clear sense of direction.

A twig snaps behind me, ripping me from my thoughts. I lightly breath out and quietly pull my bow from the belt. I slowly slip out an arrow from the sheath and attach it to my sleek bow.

I turn around and pull the string back, buying myself some time to take in the intruder.

It's a hellhound. A black wolf with blood red eyes and a massive body that resembles an elephant. His shoulders hunched forward, but he made no move to attack. His beady eyes locked with mine, sending a chill down my spine.

My arm begins to shake with the force it takes to keep the bow strung back. Usually I wait to give the animal a chance to withdraw, to redeem itself, but my strength is deteriorating and my grip is rapidly looseing. So I give in and shoot the creature.

A feeling of remorse swells in my gut, almost forcing me to look away from my prey. It was tempting, but I watched my arrow just as it was about to pierce his skin. Only..it didn't. The arrow whizzed straight through the hellhound, contorting the animal into a whisp of black mist. A taunting cackle erupts through the mist and then it fades away.

I gape at the spot where the creature originally was. It must have been a message of some sort, because no creature of the night could fade before it was even hit. Then there was also the laugh that forced goose bumps to bubble on my skin. A laugh sent directly from Hades.

It wasn't a message, but a warning. With the twenty-four hours almost up, he's reminding me that time is running out. Message received loud and clear.

I take in my surroundings, knowing that I wouldn't be able to get there in time. The only way I could make it on time is if I took a bus in the morning. The thought repulsed me, I had never cared for that method of transportation, but it seemed as though it was my only option. I sighed and changed my course of direction from Camp Jupiter to the nearest bus stop.

*~M~*

The sun slowly began to rise, reminding me of my timely mission ahead. I've been waiting for the bus for well over two hours. An elderly woman sat to my left and a homeless man to my right. They struck up a conversation to pass the time, not batting an eye towards the stranger sitting in-between them. I didn't mind, small talk was never something I was particularly fond of.

After what seemed like hours, the bright blue monstrosity finally made its grand appearance. I grabbed a handful of coins from my pocket and secured them in my fist. I let all the others go before me, buying myself some time to find out where the bus would lead us. I examined the side of the bus, hoping for any clue, but there was no sort of indication. A sigh of frustration reached my lips as I decided to just take my chances and pray it was near my destination.

I got in line behind the elderly woman and slowly climbed the stairs behind her. She leaned over and asked the bus driver where he drops us off at. My head snaps up and I watch the man let out a sigh before grumbling a reply. It was the spot just before the gate that leads to Camp Jupiter.

The woman thanked him and scurried up the steps. I climbed up after her and deposited a few coins in the machine. I looked over at the bus driver and offered him a small smile, but he waved me off looking as stoic as possible.

The bus consists of only a few people scattered among the seats. A few dark-skinned teenagers take up the back row. Their hoods are pulled down low, masking their ultra white teeth hiding behind plump lips. I make a note to avoid them at all costs.

The bus lurches forward, knocking me into one of the front seats. I huff and glare at the bus driver, which earns me a satisfied smirk. Jerk.

I sigh and look over a the strangers across from me. A young woman with her newborn child. She rocks the baby softly, smiling and cooing at the small bundle. The young woman looks too thin, like she's sacrificing her health for the baby's.

It reminds me of my own mother, during the period before the Big Three pact. My father was away so much, she was forced to raise me and take care of Mt. Olympus on her own. Being a goddess is a hard enough task on its own, with all of that extra stress piled on it really took a toll on her. There would be days where she would lock herself in her room and simply cry. I never judged her during those times, instead I learned to respect all of the tasks she took on.

Seeing that young woman reminded me so much of my mother, and I knew I wasn't going to finish this quest until I had helped her. I scramble through the contents of my bag and finally stumle upon a wad of cash. Just as I'm about to offer it to her, the bust falls to a stop. I look up and see the bright blue sign indicating that we have already made it to the next stop. I sigh and fist the money in my hand.

The young woman hops up and grabs the newborn with one arm, and grips a diaper bag with the other. She slides into the aisle and I quickly dive in behind her. As we are waiting for the other passengers to get off, I slip the bundle into her diaper bag. I snap my head up, desperately hoping she doesn't notice.

I watch for any sudden movements, any fondling with the bag, but nothing happens. I sigh in relief and gracefully leap down the steps.

I look off to my right and notice the big hill with the gate molded into the side of it. A smile lights up my face, this quest was almost too easy. I glance to my left and right, making sure that no one is paying any attention to me. When the coast is clear, I jog up the side of the hill.

At first I run up the right side of it, to make it look as though I'm heading for the sidewalk at the top, but then I dart to the left at the last second. I dive into the gate and run down the narrow hallway.

Before I know it, the tunnel opens up and the valley stretches before me. I allow myself a minute to take in the beautiful sight before me. The vibrant green of the grass, and the ripples of the creek that tears through the middle of the valley. Just like a picture from an art gallery.

My eyes venture a bit further and land on the gathering of the demigods. Their eyes are shifted towards the sky waiting for something. My feet slowly drag forward as my mind tries to process what they are looking for. A plane? A monster of some sort? Or.. a ship.

Realization dawn on me and my feet are suddenly ripping through the grass. I skid down the river until I find the narrowest part of it. I push myself back, get a good running start, and then launch myself over the river.

My right foot lands on the edge, but my left couldn't find purchase on the slick surface. My body falls down onto my ankle, sending a sharp pain throughout my leg. A soft cry of agony reaches my lips, but I shove it down.

I grit my teeth and limp towards Hazel. I try to put as much weight as possible on my good foot, but it still isn't enough. Each step is more painful than the next, leaving me winded by the time I finally reach her.

"Hazel," I pant. The expression on her face indicates that she's going to run if I don't start explaining fast. Not that I can blame her. I'd be a little weirded out too if a stranger pops up out of no where and knows my name.

"Your father needs to see you before you leave for your quest. It's important," I explain. She gives me a weary look, clearly not buying my story.

"I know you don't recognize me, but I'm telling you the truth. Now I have two pearls, one is to get you there and one is to get you back."

"Who are you?" she demands.

"We don't have time for that. Soon the ship is going to land and you need to be here when it does. Take these," I plead. My fist wraps around the pearls and I jerk them out of my pocket. I open up my hand and gesture for her to take them. She shoots me another hesitant glance before gently retrieving them.

"Good. Now just imagine that you are in Hades, and stomp on that pearl." I command. She sighs and closes her eyes, picturing her father's land. Hazel tosses a pearl and squishes it onto the ground.

A gray mist wraps around her body, slowly morphing into a bubble of sorts. When the mist fades, the bubble submerges underneath the ground. Finally, my mission is over.

I limp towards the river, a buzzing of whispers trailing behind me. I only catch pieces of what they are saying, but it's enough to know they are talking about me. A part of me wants to turn around and explain what happened with Hazel, but another part, a more dominant part, wants to get to Edward as fast as possible.

Suddenly there is a loud crunch of grass echoing behind me. Before I can react, a strong hand grips my shoulder and plunges a knife into my back. A cry of pain bubbles to my lips as the knife twists to the left and then the right. The control over my body evaporates, and my knees buckle under the weight of my upper body. The knife is finally pulled from my back, earning a shocked gasp from some of the demigods.

"Stop! Look, Frank. She has gold blood, she's a goddess," a young man yells. Frank instantly drops his weapon, stepping away from me as if that could erase what he has done.

Black spots dance across my vision. The bright green of the grass fades into a dull gray. The calming blue of the river withers into a neutral mixture of gray and white.

I can feel myself slowly slipping away from the earth. My mind conjures up a list of people I love to use as a weapon to hold me here. The Cullens, my parents, Jacob, and Edward. The mere thought of his name tugs at a suppressed memory.

_"You know, I've never had much patience with Romeo," he commented as the movie started._

_"What's wrong with Romeo?" I asked, a little offended. Romeo was one of my favorite fictional characters. Until I'd met Edward, I'd sort of had a thing for him._

_"Well, first of all, he's in love with this Rosaline-don't you think it makes him seem a little fickle? And then, a few minutes after their wedding, he kills Juliet's cousin. That's not very brilliant. Mistake after mistake. Could he have destroyed his own happiness any more thoroughly?"_

_I sighed. "Do you want me to watch this alone?"_

_"No, I'll mostly be watching you, anyway." His fingers traced patterns across the skin of my arm, raising goose bumps. "Will you cry?"_

_"Probably," I admitted, "if I'm paying attention."_

_"I won't distract you then." But I felt his lips on my hair, and it was very distracting._

A smile plays on my lips at the distant memory. What I wouldn't give to have Edward distract me from this excruciating pain. Blood gurgles up my throat as the black spot spontaneously explodes. Darkness envelops me and I am pulled into a sea of lost souls.

**There you have it :) Next chapter is in Edward's Point of View. Please R&R! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

It was the worst kind of torture I could have endured. Seeing the love of my life killed repeatedly right before me, was an image that would forever play in my mind. I couldn't escape it even if I tried. Every time I closed my eyes, the sound of her agonizing screams would assault my ears.

I knew it was fake, an illusion used to haunt my every thought, but I couldn't escape the urge to try to save her. I fought against the chains binding my wrists to two iron rods. My arms pulled against the chains, begging them to loosen their hold on my wrists. I even went so far as to try and untangle the chains from the iron rods.

Which was how I found out that the metal was scalding hot. I had been to busy to notice that flames were licking the bottom of the rods, sending heat throughout the entire pole.

My knees fell to the ground in defeat. There was no escaping this hell hole. The more I tried to fight against it the more energy was drained from my system. I was weak and useless.

"Get up Cold One," a man barked. My head snapped up to find the devil himself in front of me. He was wearing a black robe with embers curling at the frayed ends. Gray, crestfallen faces would appear throughout his attire every now and again. Their faces seemed to be stuck in a permanent, soundless scream.

"What do you want?" I snapped. He kicked his foot sharply against my face, smirking as the blood flowed from my mouth. I reluctantly stood, not because I was intimidated by him, I just needed a distraction from the illusions.

"Alright, I'm only going to say this once so listen up. You aren't dead, I just used you as bait to make Hebe do a task for me. She was recently stabbed while on her quest and only a sacrifice from the one she loves can save her."

My jaw clenched in pure rage. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, strong and distinctly rhythmic. He used Bella, his own _niece_, to do his dirty work and ended up putting her in a dangerous circumstance. How could he do that to his own blood?

The string of disbelieving thoughts stopped as the last part of his speech set in. She was stabbed. I felt the world shif, my eyesight growing blurry. Would she make it? Was she barely hanging on?

I swallowed back the bile building at the base of my throat. It was sickening to think she would be in pain. How could somone so pure-so innocent-end up on the other end of the blade?

Hades snapped his fingers in front of my face, reminding me I hadn't answered him yet. I glared into his cold, black eyes and gave a short nod.

~*M*~

I clutched her hand tightly between my own, the incessant beeping of the heart monitor bringing a smile to my face. Her wound had taken a lot out of her, including her immortality. Hades assured me she would regain it after she was fully healed.

Even a simple position such as sitting up was exhausting. My back was stiff from leaning against the chair for so long, but I refused to leave her side. It was my fault she was here, if I had saved her from the vortex she would have never been in this mess.

I sighed and rubbed my hand over my face. I couldn't fight the guilt, but I was grateful to see how healthy she looked. The first time Hades had shown me Bella.. it was pure hell.

Her body kept trembling, fight to stay alive. Her beautiful face, which was usually tinged with red, was pale and covered in sweat. Her chocolate orbs had turned glassy, but she refused to shed a single tear. Bella's body had folded in on itself, exuberating the pain she was in.

I pushed the memory away with a grimace. It was terrifying to see her lying so cold and still, the life draining from her body. My eyes traced her peaceful feature, grateful for the drastic change. Her cheeks had taken on a rosy pink from the fever she had sustained from the surgery.

"Knock, knock" Esme smiled. The rest of the family stood behind her, filling up the cramped room.

"How are you feeling?" Alice whispered, worry seeping into her facial features. She walked over to the edge of the hospital bed and sat down. She took a hold of one of my hands and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Like hell," I answered honestly, "but it was worth it." My eyes wandered to Bella's face, releasing the grip on her hand to trace the curve of her cheek.

"What are you going to do? You know she's going to be furious with you," Alice chastised. I stared at her in disbelief.

"I think making a small sacrifice was worth it to save her," I growled.

"I know, I know. Chill out. I just want you to be prepared for when she wakes up. You know that's how she's going to feel about it," she reminded me. I sighed and averted my eyes to the flor. I knew she was right, as usual, but it was so frustrating to hear my decision as a mistake rather than a gift.

"How are you going to feel when she's off to war and you have to be left behind?" Emmett asked. I wasn't surprised that it came from him, I knew he would worry over the war. If he were in my place he would be bummed out that he would be missing all of the action.

"I guess I'm just going to hope she stays behind and doesn't participate," I replied, weakly. There was no way in hell Bella would refrain from the war. With all of her loved ones participating to destroy Gaea, she would want to protect them. She was too compassionate for others to force them to dwindle in numbers. Judging by the sympathetic looks on their faces, they knew it as well.

"Just don't be too hard on her, Edward. You know you'd do the same if you were in her position," Esme warns. I nod, assuring her that I would never make Bella choose between me and her family.

"So, what did I miss while I was in Hell" I joked.

We tracked down the Denali Coven first and they agreed to help," Carlisle responded. I couldn't say I was surprised that they complied so easily. They wre like a second family to us and would gladly help us in any way they can.

"Alice and I tracked down a few nomads; Garrett, Peter, and Charlotte. Garrett was all in, but it took Peter and Charlotte a little prodding to comply," Jasper added.

"Rose and I tracked down the Amazon Coven. They were a little skiddish since they thought we worked for the Volturi, but they eventually saw reason," he chuckled. I smiled, the numbers were growing in our favor. The more vampires, the greater the surprise. Hopefully the will be able to use that to their advantage in the war.

"The Gods are taking care of the rest of the covens. Aphrodite and Ares are working on the Egyptian Coven. Zeus and Poseidon have almost found the Irish Coven. Apollo, Artemis, Athena, and Hermes have taken on finding the Romanian Coven and finding Alistair, Charles and Makenna," Carlisle finished. I nodded, letting the information seep into my mind. I had a nagging feeling that they had left a coven out, that could definitely tip the scale.

"What about the Volturi? Their guards alone could put the odds in our favor," I baited.

"We haven't exactly mentioned them to the Gods," Alice rambled. She spoke so fast I almost couldn't piece together what she was saying. Almost.

"You haven't told them? Why?" I demanded.

"Think about it, son. The only thing they worry themselves with is keeping the vampires in line and making sure the human race doesn't discover us. This war is completely out of their domain," Carlisle reminds me. I try to think from his point of view, but their was just too great of a chance that they would want to participate.

"It's going to be a bloodbath, I don't see how they _couldn't_ want to participate," I mumbled. I'm sure they would worry about losing some of their numbers, but they wouldn't miss a war. It's too much of an entertainment source for them, in some sick way.

"We'll leave it up to the Gods when they return. For now, we need to leave. She's about to wake up," Alice grinned. I could see the longing in her eyes, she wanted to be here when Bella woke up. I assured her that I would let them back in after I informed Bella of our situation.

"I can't see how she will react since she doesn't even know yet. So prepare yourself," Alice warned. After a small nod, they departed into the waiting room. I gazed at the door, wondering if I should lock it. The last thing I needed was for someone to walk in while I'm talking to her.

Before I could get up, I felt a warm hand brush the hair out of my face. I snapped my head up and gazed into her chocolate brown eyes. A lazy smile took over her lips as she whispered my name.

"How are you feeling, love?" I asked. Her eyebrows knitted together as she examined her body. She tried to roll over onto her side, but it was too painful. I gasp of agony shot out of her lips and she slumped back onto the mattress.

"I didn't know being dead could be so painful," she groaned. My eyes widened as it finally sunk in that she thought she didn't make it. That the stab wound had stolen her life. "Bella, you're not dead."

"Yes, Edward. I am. They could save me, the blackness took over everything. I saw the Fates, they had their scissors poised against my life line," she rambled, looking at meas if I would suddenly agree with her. He had said that he wouldn't let her die, whether I helped or not, but that was kind of hard to believe. If she was in now way going to die, then how did she see the Fates? Anger burned in my chest, but I pushed it away. For now.

"I made a deal with the devil to make sure that didn't happen," I smirked. She stared at me in bewilderment, no signs of humor in her expression. I tried to plead with her to have an open mind, but all I received was the _you-better-tell-me-now_ look. I sighed and reluctantly answered her.

"He said the only way to save you was to make a sacrifice so great that it would bring you back to life," I explained. I looked away from her, not wanting to tell her the rest of it.

"What did you do?" she demanded, making sure to pronounce each word slowly. I gulped, scared of her reaction.

"I gave up immortality. I'm just a regular teenager." Her glare transformed to horror, her breathing speeding up. If it weren't for the somewhat steady beeping of the heart monitor, I would've thought her heart had stopped.

"You-you're no longer a vampire?" she gasped.

**Uh oh. Human Edward, that should be interesting. Please R&R! Reviewers get a sneak peek :)**


	13. Chapter 13

It was a cold, stormy night of the day of the counsel. Rain pounded against the roof, lightning casting flashes of a striking white hue. Mt. Olympus was supposedly too high up to be bothered with the weather, but with the Gods anxiety, the weather had also reached high enough to disrupt the palace.

Poseidon squirmed uneasily in his throne next to my father's. The war had him on edge, especially with the new allies, and he was also a bit anxious about Percy's journey ahead. Uniting the two opposing camps would be no easy feat, and it had Poseidon itching with curiosity.

Zeus wasn't any better than his brother. He has been encouraging the addition of vampires, but the fact that Carlisle had witheld a clan had him grumbling in his seat like a petulant child. He understands that the Volturi are dangerous, repulsive creatures who crave power, but it still rattled his cage that they could be of use.

The rest of the Gods didn't seem to be focused on anything but an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. It was so potent that even Jasper looked as though he could kneel over and sleep for days. The fight to get all, well _most_, of the clans on board was a struggle, but most were more than willing to help. We put them in a few luxurious dorms on the outskirts of Aphrodite's temple. The Cullens had alternated on trips to see the vampires in order keep them as comfortable as possible.

They had been invited to attend the meeting-which was a great honor-mostly since their opinion on the Volturi would be as accurate as the Cullens. The only person absent from the counsel was Hades. He made some heartfelt excuse about needing to search for his missing son, but I knew that he was lying. He had already informed me he wasn't going to look for Nico until the war had been initiated. Hades was afraid of no one-at least that is what he proclaims-but my temper is just as bad, if not worse, than his. I am a powerful force to be reckoned with if you get on my bad side.

Thoughts of why I was so angry at Hades led me to thinking of Edward. He thought that I was blowing this arrangement way out of proportion, but I couldn't disagree more. It was uncalled for that Hades could ask Edward to make such a sacrifice for me. Wouldn't it have been easier just to request something that benefited _him_? Or was he really that sick that he felt compelled to strip us of our eternity?

It was even more sickening that he wasn't just toying with some unfortunate mortal who was in the wrong-no, he was manipulating his own _niece's _future. Just thinking of it has my stomach twisting and writhing with anger. It felt as though someone had punctured my stomach with a scorching hot knife. My fists clench and unclench as I fight to keep my emotions in check.

Jasper shot me a worried look from across the room, his eyes tightening as they scrutinized my face. I smiled and nodded in gratitude, reassuring him that I was fine. I diverted my eyes to Edward and watched his eyebrows dip down in confusion as he studies Jasper and I. It was hard for him to lose his ability to mind read, a lot harder than he cared to admit, but he hid his frustration well.

It took him a couple of weeks to finally be at peace with this new lifestyle. He used to have a gift so powerful that it was basically like a three-in-one. He was able to see the emotions of others because of Jasper and see whatever Alice saw. Now he is stripped of all three powers and he is forced to rely on studying facial expressions. It helps relieve some of his anxiety, but every now and again I would find him pulling at his bronze locks in unadulterated frustration.

Zeus clears his throat and glances at me warily. I squeeze his hand and whisper assurances in his ear. A knowing smile graces his lips before he turns toward the Cullens. He wipes his face of any emotion and proceeds with the meeting. "Alright, everyone seems to be present so we can get on with the counsel. Carlisle, seeing as you know more about this _Volturi, _you can start us off."

Shock flashes in Carlisle's eyes, but he somehow bestows a calm expression on his timeless face. He bounces a bit on the balls of his feet, quickly gathering his thoughts. He takes a deep breath, looks everyone in the eye, and throws out his side of the argument.

"The Volturi and I go way back. I encountered them a long time ago and even joined their clan. I wasn't aware of their cruel nature at the time, but I quickly caught on." He pauses, a wistful, yet sour, twisting his lips. Esme whispers something in his ear and wraps her arms around his waist, offering him as much support as possible. Carlisle smiles and drapes his arm over her shoulders, his posture instantly relaxing.

"They slayed humans left and right, not having a care in the world about their actions. They killed mostly to uphold their strength, but partially for the entertainment and thrill it offered them. It was like a game to the Volturi, they wanted to see the humans beg for mercy even though they knew their pleas were futile.

"I tried to convert them over to our diet, but they were unwilling to even consider the idea. Once I realized that they would never change, I left. They acted as though they were heartbroken at the thought of losing a member, but I knew it was all a sham. I have no special power to aid them, therefore I am as useless as a human." He blew out a breath and looked over to Edward, his expression one of remorse. They both knew it was time for him to argue his side and it wasn't going to be pretty. Edward nodded, his green eyes gleaming with mischief.

"This particular clan is pure evil, there thoughts revolve around nothing but what benefits them the most. This war wouldn't be an advantage to them, it would kill off their numbers and, inevitably, kill off their clan. They wouldn't take the risk of losing their most powerful players," he finishes, allowing the information to seep into everyone's minds.

"If they are as protective of themselves as you say, then what would be the harm in asking?" Artemis tosses in. Her fiery red hair is braided down her right shoulder, reaching just shy of her abdomen. Her fingers twirl through the soft strands at the end of her braid, her wispy eyes vibrating with curiosity. Carlisle clears his throat and looks her in the eyes as his vague answer spills from his lips.

"That's a very good question. To be honest we can never know what they will say unless we ask, but there's always doubt in the back of our minds. Lets just say, for argument's sake, that they do agree to ally with us. If it looks like our side is losing in the war, they won't hesitate to join the other side and fight against us. It's how they are wired, the only thing that matters to them is survival."

A few grunts of disapproval contributed to the already tense atmosphere in the room. Zeus turns his head left and right, checking to see if there were anymore questions, and sighs in satisfaction when there aren't any. "Alright, Edward. It's your turn to say your peace."

Edward nods and buries his hands in his pockets. He takes a deep breath through his nose and focuses his eyes on mine. I smile in encouragement and offer him a small nod for him to begin. A dazzling crooked smile pulls at his lips, melting my heart.

"Carlisle does make a fine argument, but I can't help thinking along with the seed of doubt in your minds. They do pose a threat, but what if they were the deciding factor in the war? What if they were the difference between life and death? Are you really ready to lose someone just because you didn't want to take a chance? Could be a husband, a sibling, or even a parent. This hypothetical assessment could become a harsh reality if you don't at least give the Volturi a chance," Edward finishes.

His tactic was so much different than Carlisle's that it took everyone a minute to soak it in. Carlisle strived to plant that seed of doubt in your mind to awaken the reality of how truly dangerous the Volturi are. Edward attacks your inner fears, like if you were to lose someone because of a bad decision, you would have to carry that guilt with you for the rest of your life.

"If the Volturi are as dangerous as Carlisle says, then wouldn't it be more predictable for them to turn against us?" Aphrodite pipes in. Everyone looks expectantly at Edward, but it doesn't seem to faze him. It's almost as if he _anticipated_ being asked that question.

"That's a good point, it is a possibility. If the Volturi are nervous about their numbers, then they will most likely just deny us on the spot. There's just too big of a chance for them to tip the scale to risk not even asking them. Please, give them the benefit of the doubt. At least _ask_," he stresses.

A silence befalls around the room as everyone soaks in the arguments. As soon as Carlisle finished his speech I was sure that I would side with him, that the Volturi were not people we want to entrust with our lives. Then Edward stepped up and my decision was put into question. He didn't say many words, but he presented us with a scruple.

What if we lost someone because we didn't seek out the Volturi? What if an attack from Gaea is thrown our way that could of been stopped by one of their powers? So many questions and _what if_s that can only be answered by encountering the Volturi.

Zeus clears his throat and waits for all eyes to fall on him. "If that is all, we will leave the decision to a vote. Edward and Carlisle, seeing as we already know where your opinions stand, you will not vote. With that being said, all in favor of approaching the Volturi, raise your hand."

I duck my head down and glare down at the fabric of my shirt. It was too difficult of a decision to make, and if anything were to happen to our alliance because of my vote, I would never forgive myself. Most of the Gods voted in harmony, so I had no hesitation that the winning vote will have won by a landslide. I faintly heard Zeus count each hand before repeating the process with the opposing vote.

"This is impossible, it seems as though the voting has resulted in a tie. Maybe I counted wrong. Lets re-vote," Zeus starts, but was quickly cut off by Athena. "No, your calculations were correct."

Zeus lets out a sigh of frustration and pinches the bridge of his nose. He looks at Athena with an almost bored expression, like a parent would look at a child who was trying to sweet talk their way out of chores. He raises an eyebrow in curiosity and Athena, being the ever-present smart one, takes the bait.

"It resulted in a tie because Hebe didn't vote," she smirks. I narrow my eyes and grit my teeth, silently damming her to the fieriest pits of Hades. If she had kept her mouth shut then Zeus would've just re-counted, arrived at the same conclusion, and prattled on about solutions. Zeus prods me with a simple hand gesture, but I don't dignify him with an answer. I'm too furious at the thought of having to make a decision without being given the chance to mull it over.

"Well Hebe, it looks like you are the swing vote. What do you want?" Zeus asks. It's such a simple question, but it sears through my heart like a hot knife. It's not just my opinion or a vote, it's so many alternate endings piled together. The difference between hesitance and risk. Winning and losing. Or, like Edward mentioned, life and death.

I look down at the two people I have grown to love in completely different ways. They smile in encouragement, their eyes dancing with hope. It was too hard to look into their eyes knowing I was about to let one of them down. So, as I made my decision-allowing one deep breath-I avert my eyes to my shirt and mumble my answer.

"They both make an excellent argument, but I have to choose what would be safest for my family and our alliances. With that in mind, I vote not to involve the Volturi." My fingers clench and unclench around the thin fabric of the shirt. I wait for a reaction, any indication of relief or anger, but for a while I'm met with only silence. My eyes slowly venture up just in time to see Edward storm out of the room.

Before I realize what I'm doing, my body is free of the throne amd my feet are pounding against the smooth floors. I call out his name, yearning for just a glimpse of his forest green eyes, but all I find is a slammed door in my face. I faintly hear Zeus adjourning the counsel as I follow Edward outside.

"Edward, wait! Please," I breathe, clutching his arm. He yanks his arm away as if I had burned him, his shoulders rising and falling at a frantic pace. He turns around and glares down at me, rain drops drifting down his face. I flinch underneath his glare, tears stinging my eyes. His glare softens somewhat, but the anger doesn't retreat from his eyes.

"What do you want me to say, Bella? 'Congratulations, I hope you don't get killed'?" he spits, his eyes morphing into a stormy gray. I step closer to him and wrap my arms around his neck, whispering apologies in his ear. His arms circle my waist for a second before dropping them as he takes a step back.

"You don't understand how frustrating this is for me, Bella. I can't fight in the war, I'll get killed before I even get a chance to raise my weapon. There's no way for me to protect you. At least adding fighters could help, but you voted against it," he finishes, his breaths coming out in pants. His cheeks were blossomed a dark red, matching the anget rising within him. The emerald green eyes I had grown fond of were shining with unshed tears.

My arms ached to touch him, to comfort him, but I knew he wouldn't accept any reassurances I offered. I cross my arms tightly over my chest and take a step back, leaning heavily on a pillar.

"I'm not going to pretend to know whether or not I will survive the war. The only thing I can say is that I'm sorry that you're in this situation, but you're just going to have to trust that I will come back to you. As for the Volturi, they were too great of a risk. I would rather put my trust in a loyal ally rather than an unsteady, selfish clan. Numbers aren't everything-"

"Please, Bella. Just don't finish that thought. They may not be everything, but they are crucial to the war. Can you promise me one thing?" he pleads. Rain drips from his hair into his face. We were soaked from head-to-toe, but somehow the warmth in his gaze made me feel like I was on fire. My stomach twists as I fight to force a promise, a question, _anything_ from my lips. Sadly, no words could be formed. I purse my lips and offer a curt nod.

Instead of pondering an agreement, he crashes his lips against mine. His hands curl around my face, tilting it slightly. The kiss was urgent and one of the most erotic kisses he has ever given me. Now that he can't possibly hurt me, he doesn't hold back.

It was strange having to be the one to be gentle, but it was still thrilling. He eventually ends the kiss, peppering my cheeks with little kisses. My breaths come in pants and I struggle to clear the stars that are clouding my vision. A lazy smile graces his lips before they flatten. His eyes are clouded with determination and the atmosphere morphs from loving to serious.

"Can you promise that you will fight to stay alive, no matter what it takes? Even if it means pulling out of the war," he begs. His eyes dart from left to right, looking for any signs of refusal. I put on a poker face and quickly avert my eyes away from his. He knew the key to finding the answer he's looking for would to be in my eyes, but I wasn't going to offer him thay advantage.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I _will _fight to stay alive, but I can't abandon the others," I stress. He turns his back to me and pushes his fingers into his hair. He tugs on them forcefully, as though he were trying to pluck the bronze locks off his head. I was about to step towards him when he whips around to face me, effectively stopping me in my tracks.

"I knew you were going to say that, I guess I was just hoping you would change your mind," he whispers, brokenly. A sob builds in my chest at seeing him so sad and defeated. I move to go to him, to at least touch him, but he backs away. A sigh passes through his lips and he abruptly takes off.

I want to follow him, beg him to forgive me, but I know it's no use. He wants to be alone, to have time to digest everything. I don't know how long it will take him-hours, days, _weeks_-I just hope it won't be too long. I can feel the clock ticking over my head, reminding me that the war with Gaea is on the horizon. When the time runs out, I don't know if I will live to make it back to him. All I know is that I at least want a chance to say goodbye.


	14. Chapter 14

**~ Important A/N at the end of this chapter. Enjoy :) ~**

Zeus paced rapidly in front of his throne. The floor shook lightly with each aggressive pass of his footing. There were many bases that still needed covering and-without communication to the demigods-it was rather difficult to check on them.

"What about the ship these demigods are building?" he demanded. My shoulders stiffened as I watched him uneasily. He was most likely aware of the Gods checking up on their kids, but I wasn't about to be the one to confirm it. After that stunt Athena pulled, all of the Gods should have been allowed to receive the chance to talk to at least one of their children. I suggested it once, but Zeus had shrugged it off quickly. Claiming that it was "necessary" for Athena to have spoken to her since she was one of the demigods of the prophecy.

"But Father, you said-"

"I know what I said," he thundered, rattling the stained glass slightly. His piercing blue eyes glared at me, silently warning me not to play dumb. "Besides, I'm sure Hephaestus couldn't help but sneak a peek at his son's most prized invention."

I sighed and looked at the ceiling. There was no point in fighting him on the subject or try to beat around the bush. He could sniff a blatant lie from a mile away, he just wanted confirmation so he could take action. "He said that the ship has been built, with minor complications, and that they are on their way to finish their quest."

Zeus nodded, a look of satisfaction blooming across his features. It was a relief that at least one thing was going right in this war. "Although, I do suggest we cut the cord on the whole 'no speaking to the demigods' ordeal. I know how much you oppose it, but as they get closer to Rome-the more help they are going to need from us."

"Absolutely not! This is what the demigods train for, they will not let us down." Zeus boomed. His face turned an unflattering shade of red to match the anger building inside of him. I was glad Jasper wasn't here, I knew he would have to put up a good fight to reign in Zeus' anger and it would certainly overwhelm him. I hated to see him so worked up, but it was a topic he needed to re-consider. I waited until the red gradually eased from his face and his pacing to slow before speaking.

"I know it is a touchy subject. But what if one of the demigods, or _all_, are killed on their journey? What if they encounter a giant on their way? That requires a demigod _and _a god to kill one. Then who will we have to complete the quest? They are the chosen ones, Father. Without our help, they will not succeed.

He nodded. Zeus still wasn't too keen on the idea, but he could be a sensible man when need be.

"I will think about it. I'll let everyone know my decision within the next two days. For now, we only need to worry about the things that need to be done."

I smiled and nodded in agreement. It was very rare when Zeus even considered the thought of being wrong, and I wasn't about to push him to make any rash decisions.

"Very well then. What about the vampires?" Zeus continued. I swallowed deeply, my heart clenching at the mere thought of the Cullens. Of Edward. It has been a week since the last council and he still failed to even acknowledge my presence.

"Alice has been visiting often and she says that they are well and comfortable." Alice was the only one who would speak with me. The others would smile with warmth and make small talk, but they were still upset with my decision. Although some voted the same as I did, they kept their distance out of respect for Edward's space. It may also have to do with the fact that I was the one who was the deciding factor in the vote, leaving me to blame should anything happen to them.

Zeus smiled apologetically.

"Still no word from him?" I was momentarily stunned by his question. He had been so fixated on the war that it was almost shocking to see him show compassion for any other subject.

"Um, no. He's still very angry, not that I blame him." He sighed and scrubbed his hands down his face. "You can't carry around all this blame, Hebe. You weren't the only one who voted against it.

I smiled. For the first time in a long time, Zeus was on my side. I had been dragging around this boulder, this heavy epitome of guilt, that had been weighing me down for the last two weeks. Now that I had someone on my side, it was as though the weight had been lifted slightly. Relief washed through me, chasing away some of the guilt clutching my heart.

"Thank you, Father." He smiled before clearing his throat. He reclaimed his former I-mean-business facade and rattled off thing that needed to be attended to. Someone needed to check with Poseidon to see how the weapons were coming along in his forge. Someone needed to monitor the demigods and see how they were coming along. Someone needed to train the vampires for battle.

As he droned on about the tasks, I started to think of possible candidates for each one. Dionysus, or Bacchus, could check up on the demigods since he wouldn't have any emotion attachment or display favoritism. Hephaestus could venture down to Poseidon's underwater palace if his assistance was needed for the machine making process. As for the vampires, the best coach would most likely be the God of War himself. Zeus cleared his throat, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I want you to carry out these tasks, Hebe." I scoffed. One person for all of those? In _two_ days? It couldn't be done. Not in the time they had left until the war. Besides, if I was supposed to carry out all the tasks chores then how could I keep a keen eye on the demigods? "I don't mean all of them, even I'm not dense enough to think that one person could do everything in the time given. Mainly what I want you to do is to train the vampires and to check in with the demigods."

My throat closed up at his demands. Of all things, those two would definitely be at the bottom of my list. How could I train the vampires when I knew so little about strategy? Not to mention that I had upset a handful by my decision. The children would also prove to be a difficult chore. I wasn't familiar with any of the seven demigods, so I couldn't help guide them without knowing their strengths and weaknesses.

"But Father-"

"No buts. You will be perfect for these errands. You are the most familiar with the vampires, so they will trust you more in training. You are also familiar with their strengths and weaknesses, so you would be best to help form a mind-blowing strategy. As for the children, you have no emotional ties to any of them. Which also helps in deciding when, or if, they need our help." Zeus finished.

I couldn't argue with him about the vampires, but I still couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't meant to guide the children of the prophecy. It felt.._wrong_. It felt like the second place racer stealing the first place trophy. I would do everything in my power to make sure that those kids made it home safely, but I knew I wouldn't be able to go the extra yard since I still had to watch over the vampires as well.

"How about I check on Poseidon's forge and see if he needs Hephaestus' assistance and then train with the vampires? That gets two things out of the way. Let Bacchus watch over the kids. He's already somehow tied into their quest and he has no emotional attachment like me. Besides, if I'm busy training the vampires how am I going to keep an eye on the demigods?" I retorted.

Zeus sighed and relented, admitting that what I had said did make sense. He sent Poseidon an Iris message, asking if it was okay if I came to visit. My uncle nodded and grinned his assent. He gave specific instructions where to meet at and what would be waiting for me there. I was hesitant to go underwater, running out of air while at the bottom of the ocean was definitely a terrifying thought, but I knew my uncle would never let anything happen to me.

"Alright, I'll go speak with the Cullens about training before I head to Poseidon's palace. That way they have time to adjust to the idea before any actual training is done," I prattled. Zeus nodded, he opened his mouth to respond but was abruptly interrupted. The door flew open, banging loudly against the marble pillar beside it.

I gasped and watched in disbelief as a disgruntled Edward charged into the room. His eyes glared into mine, anger practically radiating off of him. He had on a loose, charcoal v-neck with dark jeans that hung low on his hips. From the sharp disarray of his hair, it looked as though he had just rolled out of bed.

"_You will not go near the vampires. They have fought in battles before, they don't need your help_" he spat. I gasped at how wispy his voice was. It didn't sound anything like Edward's silky voice, but like an old man who had smoked his whole life. I squinted and looked deeper at his face, scrutinizing his eyes which had changed from a startling green to an ancient gold. My breathing stopped and my hands turned clammy.

This wasn't Edward. This _thing_ was something else entirely. I shot out of my seat and moved closer to him.

"Who are you?" I demanded. His lips curled into a dark smirk, but he didn't answer.

"What have you done with Edward?" I yelled at the entity. I wasn't sure if it had changed it's appearance to match Edward's or taken over his body. My fists clenched at my sides, I wanted to kill this creature but I didn't want to take the chance of hurting Edward.

"_I am the messenger, dear girl. Your time is up, it's time to pay the price._" the wispy voice muttered. I stared into the glowing golden eyes, captivated by the hope that it would show some sort of sign as to what it wanted. The trance was quickly broken by growling emanating from the creature. The golden eyes dimmed, filling with anger and hatred. Those taunting pools of murky gold were the last thing I saw before Edward's hands curled around my neck.

**Sorry for the long awaited update! I know it has been way too long, and I apologize for not updating sooner! As this story progresses, I am going to be taking more and more information from the Mark of Athena and use it in the story. So if you have not yet read the Mark of Athena, then do not continue reading this story until you have done so! Unless you like spoilers, I'd advise you to finish the book before the story progresses any further. Now that I have that out of the way, how did you like it? Another cliffy I know, they are my specialty! Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know!**

**~T21**


	15. Chapter 15

**Bella's POV:**

I heard Zeus roar in the background. He gripped Edward by the back of the neck and threw him off of me. His head hit the floor with a great _BOOM_. Edward sat back up with a grunt, his golden eyes fixated on me.

"Dad get out of here!" I yelled. Edward charged and flung himself at me. I ducked, allowing him to sail above my head. Zeus looked conflicted, his eyes darting between me and the entity.

"Please! I can handle this. Just go before you hurt him," I begged. Zeus nodded with a defeated sigh. He disappeared in a bright array of light.

Before I could turn around, he had tackled me down to the marble floor. I struggled against him, worming my body to try to get away from him. He grabbed my arms and pulled them behind my back. My breath left my body as my arms were pushed closer to my head. A moan of pain bustled through my lips, startling him momentarily.

His grip on my arms loosened for a split second, enough time for me to regain control and pull them back. Using the strength in my upper body, I flipped myself around so that I was facing him. His eyes flickered green before returning back to the ancient gold.

This news was both refreshing and alarming at the same time. It was amazing to be so close to him, I had missed Edward in the time we had spent apart. Yet it also meant that this really was Edward, not merely an illusion of another creature. An entity had taken over his body, and there was no way I could truly fight back without hurting Edward.

He raised his fist and punched my cheek with great force. I gasped in pain, wiping away the golden ichor dripping from my lips. I looked to Edward, his eyes flickering once again. Grasping the chance, I reached up and placed my hand against his cheek.

His eyes darkened to a forest green, pain clouding the murky pools. For a moment, it appeared as though the entity was really gone. Remorse flooded his features as he tenderly touched my lip. Just as soon as he came back, he was gone.

Gold replaced green, his facial expressions hardening. He sat up and pulled me with him. Before I could blink, the entity had grabbed me and thrown me into a pillar across the room. My body clattered to the floor, flames of agony licking its way across my body.

My head pounded with a vengeance. I groaned and rolled my head to the side. The pillar I had hit had a large crack in the middle. Lines of black slithered in all directions, crumbling the pieces as it went. Faint crackling ghosted along the pillar.

I rolled over onto my stomach and inched up onto all fours. It was too late. The structure split into three pieces, one fell back against the wall opposite of me. I looked up and watched the top piece roll over to the side, the final piece landing on my back.

My body hit the floor, all the breath knocked out of me in an instant. I looked over at Edward, making sure he wasn't affected by the debris. His figure withered, as if it couldn't settle on who was in control of his body.

"_I can't fight him..any longer. Such strong power from..a..human. I will be back for you," _the ancient voice growled. The entity flew from his body, knocking Edward to the ground.

"Edward!" I yelled. I tried to sit up but the slice of marble quickly forced me back down. I watched him in desperation, waiting impatiently for him to regain consciousness. After a beat, I heard him groan. A sigh of relief passed through my lips as he slowly sat up.

I looked away from him. It had been a while since we had talked and I wasn't sure how he would react to being in the same room as me. My eyes trailed to the pillar still resting on my spine. I pushed on my hands until my upper torso was lifted from the ground. The slab of marble rolled down my back and rested on my legs.

A sharp fragment stuck out from the structure and sliced a path down my body. A hiss of pain flew from my lips. I felt my life force pool on top of my skin, the golden fluid dripping down my clothes. Edward gasped and darted across the room.

He moved behind me, grasping the shard and ripped it from the marble. Edward picked up the end of the pillar to where it hovered over my body, scooted it behind me, and dropped it with a loud _bang._

"Can you stand up?" he asked. I nodded and rolled to a sitting position. He offered his hand and I gratefully took it, allowing him to haul me up. Edward wrapped his arms around me after I stumbled slightly. Blood trickled down his forehead from where Zeus had thrown him across the room.

"I am so sorry," I whispered.

"You're sorry? For what? Do you not see what _I_ did to _you_?" he asked, incredulously.

"That's different. You were being controlled by an eidolon, my father should know better than to toss you across the room," I responded, my anger seeping into my words. Zeus was the one who taught me about eidolons, he should know better than to take action before accessing the situation.

I looked down, shame filling me at the thought of being unable to protect him. He was fragile now without his immortality, it's my turn to watch over him and make sure he's safe. Edward put his finger under my chin and tilted my head, forcing me to look into his eyes.

"How about we get you cleaned up and then discuss this?" he suggested. I started to disagree, I wasn't willing to leave this room until he had agreed that he wasn't at fault. Sensing my weariness, Edward pouted and pulled off the perfect puppy-dog eyes. I sighed in defeat, it was useless arguing with a face that adorable.

He smiled in triumph. I looked into his eyes, lost in their vast green depth. I had always loved his golden eyes, the different colors made him easy to read, but the enchanting forest hue they had changed into were quickly growing on me. Before I could register what was happening, Edward had lifted me into his arms with ease. He wrapped his arms around places unscathed by the shards, mindful of the fading cuts.

"Edward, put me down! It's not as easy for you to carry me anymore," I whined. He simply rolled his eyes and made for the door. I pleaded with him to put me down, to give his body the rest it desperately needed, but he just ignored me. He kicked the door open and submerged us into the soft orange glow.

~*~MS~*~

By the time we reached my home, Edward was panting slightly. He joked that I had just gained a little weight which was why he was struggling. I, very maturely, smacked his chest in response. Once we reached the door, he set me down so I could twist the knob. I pushed the door open, reveling in the feel of his hands on my hips as he guided me in the doorway.

"Where are the wash rags at?" he asked.

"In the bathroom. It's the door at the end of the hallway," I instructed. He nodded and quickly left in search of the square pieces of cotton. I took off my shirt and groaned at the large stain the blood had left. I tossed it in the corner and made a mental note to try and scrub the stain out later.

I opened my closet and perused the clothing Aphrodite had gotten me. My hand raised to a soft, blue blouse in front of me but I quickly decided against it. My jeans were stained and ragged as well so I may as well just forgo the new ensemble and slip on a dress.

I settled on a black and white strapless dress. Just as I was pulling it off the hanger, I was alerted to another presence.

"Don't put that on," Edward mumbled. I spun around, gasping as I quickly pulled the fabric over my midsection. His face turned a deep red.

"I-I meant that you shouldn't put anything on since you still have blood on your skin. Let me clean you up," he offered. I nodded and moved closer to him. His smell fanned my face, the sweet scent stealing the breath in my body. I turned around and dropped the dress at my feet.

His breath hitched as he touched the damp rag to my back. The warmth from the water evoked a moan of pleasure to rip from my lips. Edward kissed my neck as he moved the rag in slow circles, clearing the golden ichor from my skin. He moved the rag lower, mopping up the traces of our debacle from earlier.

"Amazing. Your skin didn't scar or anything," he whispered. I leaned my head back on his shoulder, too lost in the warmth and his closeness to respond. A minute passed by before he spoke again.

"Um, Bella?" I hummed in response. "You know there is blood on your legs too."

I leaned against his chest and unbuttoned my jeans. The slow circles stopped. I moved my eyes to his, silently asking if he minded cleaning off my leg as well. He nodded in encouragement and offered a shy smile. My eyes trailed down to my jeans and I quickly unzipped them and pushed the material down my legs.

I moved away from him as I kicked my feet out of the jeans. Edward wrapped his arm around my waist, holding me still as he continued his slow circles at the top of my thigh. Heat coursed though my body as his calloused hand gripped me while he finished wiping off the rest of the ichor. I whimpered in protest when he removed his hand, much to my embarrassment.

I grabbed the dress lying beside us and quickly yanked it over my head. Turning towards Edward, I offered him a sweet smile.

"Your turn," I sing-songed. I grabbed the unused rag from his hand, the one that was soaked in cold water, and gently dabbed at the wound on his forehead. He grunted in pain and I offered him an apologetic smile.

I led him over to my bed and ordered him to sit down. He obeyed reluctantly and I quickly left in search of a band-aid. I opened the cabinet beneath the sink and tossed around the contents. Not that long ago, Hermes had insisted that everyone had a first-aid kit put in their bathroom. Unfortunately, Aphrodite had stuck many girl products in my storage space while I was gone.

"A-ha!" I grinned in victory. There, under a plethora of hair products, was the white medical container. I hastily grabbed it and ran back into the bedroom. Edward looked up as I came back in, a knowing smile crossing his lips. I pulled open the box and rummaged through the different cleansers and cloth wraps.

There was a cardboard box containing just about every band-aid size available. I picked the second to largest one, setting it aside. I wiped the rest of the red fluid from his temple, dripped a little disinfectant liquid on his band-aid, and smoothed it across the cut.

He smiled in thanks before pulling me into his lap. I squealed in surprise and gave him a playful look. His eyes trailed from looking into mine and ventured to glancing down at my lips. My breath hitched as he slowly leaned in, gauging my reaction.

I closed the distance, thrusting my hands in his hair as I kissed him. I poured my heart into the kiss, silently communicating to him how much I had missed him while we were separated. He groaned, wrapping his arms around my waist as he pulled me closer to him. He broke the kiss abruptly, staring at me with remorse.

"I'm so sorry I pushed you away, I promise I will never do that to you again. I love you so much," he whispered.

"I love you, too." I smiled.

For now, that was all that mattered. The war and all the stress that accompanied it could wait until tomorrow. Edward was much more important.

**I apologize for the long wait, but at least this one wasn't a cliffy. Now that Edward and Bella have finally re-united, what will happen when the stress of the war finally catches up to them? Please R&R!**


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